18 days after the first Omicron case was identified in Scotland and so probably 3 weeks after it arrived, hospital admissions and ICU cases continue to fall, to the lowest since August 2021. Hospital admission rates in Wales and Northern Ireland are similar to those in Scotland but England, subject to the Johnson communications strategy, has a rate around 20% higher. Why is this happening? Faster booster rollout and greater compliance with the FM’s more clear and more consistent messaging? No hypocrisy in the FM’s party-going? Continue reading Evidence of a milder variant or of Scots’ canniness?

Today, BBC Wales tells us of ‘chaos’ in Cardiff University Hospital of Wales’ A&E department and Ian Cottrell’s wait of nearly 40 hours. Mt Cottrell said: There were others that were shouting, lying on the floors because there were no beds,” he said. They were saying they were going to discharge themselves. It’s chaos in there. No one knows what’s going on. It seems like there’s no duty of care to anyone. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59689043 The health board, no names offered, responded that anyone unhappy with its care should report it, to them of course, and not to BBC Wales’ version of … Continue reading Sturgeon demonised, Drakeford excused all

Note how England’s hospitality firms call only for help. They clearly have no bar staff qualified in epidemiology who could then tell the government where it’s going wrong with vaccine certification and call for a change in pandemic strategy. Note another record for daily Covid cases ‘in the UK?’ Of 88 376, 5 951 were in Scotland which is far short of the record of 7 113 on August 2021. DUP/SF Northern Ireland had 2 237, slightly more, pro rata, than Scotland Labour Wales and Con England are not publishing their figures, with the latter, supported by the BBC, hiding … Continue reading England’s pub bosses are submissive as their plague is buried in UK stats

For those who don’t remember her, that’s former Tory activist Jane Lax who was suspended but is probably back in the fold. Here’s the story of how she became known as vile, in 2019: Moray Conservative Association treasurer Jane Lax is being investigated by the party over the shameful original social media posts. In one message, she joined in a conversation with a troll who had suggested the First Minister’s miscarriage was “fictional”. Lax Tweeted: “Is that when she dropped a book?”, followed by three laughing emojis. But rather than offer an apology, Lax has followed up by tweeting: “Problem for them … Continue reading Vile Tory troll attacks Nicola again

I suppose the first thing to ask is why Smith undertook this wee bit of research. The second thing is why he thinks only polls by Ipsos MORI of under-35s living in 19 G20 nations is a sufficient basis for his claim. Third, why is this big ‘butcher’s apron’ in the photo OK when he said ‘the Saltire makes me cringe’ in June 2020. Among 18-34 year-olds with at least a secondary school education, Britain does rate highly on trust in its institutions, especially its education system and in its politics. I wouldn’t disagree with their judgement of our higher … Continue reading Herald’s Mark Smith delusional on how the world loves the Brits

Credit reader Anonymous for the headline. Today BBC Scotland headlines the negative consequences of pandemic measures developed by health professionals BBC UK? Not a word. BBC England? Not a word. BBC Wales? Not a word. BBC Northern Ireland. Not a word. Ireland? Not a word. German national news, French national news, not a word on hospitality problems. It’s not just today. It’s a regular pattern, easily observed. Continue reading Hospitality or hospitals? How only Scotland’s hospitality industry is being used to undermine public health

Choosing to champion pub owners, presumably his donors, against the rest of the population always looked risky, especially when his boss decided to go with vaccine ‘passports’. Now it is revealed he might be tilting against up to 90% of the population: 90 to 8? For Conservatives it’s 81 to 16. In Scotland, it’s 78 to 17. Not much better Duggie? Continue reading Ross shoots himself in foot over vaccine ‘passports’

BBC Scotland love a milestone as long as it hurts….us. Today, carefully ignored, Scotland is first in the UK to hit 50% of over 18s – 50.7%. Northern Ireland has only managed 40.3% Heads must roll? England has hit 46.5%, if we can trust their stats and some are not just offers. Get a grip PM? Source: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/scotland-becomes-first-uk-nation-25707543 Continue reading Scotland surges to boost more than 50% but BBC Scotland miss milestone

There’s not a word of the other three nations as the UK hits 78 610 new cases, up form 68 053 in January. No one is accusing Johnson or telling him to get a grip. Club-owners, in England, are saying nout. BBC Wales and N Ireland are quiet too. There were 5 155 new cases in Scotland and, I guess, a similar number across Wales and N Ireland so the rate in England 68 000 vs 5 000 will be roughly, pro rata 40% higher. Continue reading Scotland surges to still far fewer cases than England

From Tom Gordon today: NICOLA Sturgeon and Jeane Freeman could face criminal charges over the transfer of untested hospital patients into care homes during the Covid pandemic, a lawyer acting for bereaved families has claimed. Solicitor Advocate Professor Peter Watson said it was “entirely feasible” that the First Minister and her former Health Secretary could be prosecuted. https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19786338.nicola-sturgeon-jeane-freeman-could-face-criminal-charges-covid-handling-says-lawyer/?ref=ebmpn Two things. One, the transfer of untested hospital patients into to care homes caused no outbreaks there and killed no residents. We have know for more than a year now that a combination of agency-staff reliance in the larger, corporate or privately-owned homes with … Continue reading Care home owners could face criminal charges despite Tory lawyer’s help