Covid Inquiry – Scottish ministers closed schools and saved thousands contrary to Prof Woolhouse’s wrong views

January 24, 2024 johnrobertson834

In the Herald today: The Scottish Government ignored its own scientific advice not to close schools during the second Covid wave of 2021, the UK inquiry into the pandemic has heard. Mark Woolhouse, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, said that the decision to shut classrooms across Scotland was “not necessary” and did not contribute to halting the spread of the virus. Woolhouse, as far as I can see, was only one of the 20 advisors on the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group. I’m not aware of this group advising against school closures. Prof Sridhar was … Continue reading Covid Inquiry – Scottish ministers closed schools and saved thousands contrary to Prof Woolhouse’s wrong views

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Not one case of measles in Scotland for three years, 95% vaccination and the Herald’s health correspondent tries to suggest it’s like the West Midlands here too

January 21, 2024January 21, 2024 johnrobertson834

I’m indebted to for As a genuine and scary surge in measles cases after plummeting vaccination rates among young children explodes in parts of England, especially London and the West Midlands, the Herald’s Helen McUrdle, yesterday, asks: Measles, MMR, vaccine hesitancy: How at risk is Scotland? and suggests: The West Midlands region of England is in the grip of its worst measles outbreak since the 1990s, while uptake of the MMR vaccine in Scotland is at it lowest level since records began in 2014. Her report is packed full of England’s data and a Roald Dahl story. There’s no sign … Continue reading Not one case of measles in Scotland for three years, 95% vaccination and the Herald’s health correspondent tries to suggest it’s like the West Midlands here too

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More on MMR immunisation in Scotland – latest research

January 20, 2024 johnrobertson834

By stewartb Let me share some other positive insights on MMR immunisation, this time from a recent peer reviewed research paper: Source: McQuaid F, Mulholland R, Sangpang Rai Y, Agrawal U, Bedford H, Cameron JC, et al. (2022) Uptake of infant and preschool immunisations in Scotland and England during the COVID-19 pandemic: An observational study of routinely collected data. PLoS Med 19(2): e1003916. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003916 ‘We found that early uptake of infant and preschool immunisations (within 4 weeks of a child becoming eligible) ROSE SIGNIFICANTLY FOR THE DURATION OF THE FIRST LOCKDOWN PERIOD IN SCOTLAND, RESULTING IN THOUSANDS MORE CHILDREN RECEIVING THEIR … Continue reading More on MMR immunisation in Scotland – latest research

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Scotland’s ‘safest in UK’ measles vaccination rates not worth comparing in the media unlike drug deaths

January 20, 2024 johnrobertson834

The Guardian today has: UK measles outbreaks: why are cases rising and vaccination rates falling? BBC London has: Mum urges vaccine push and shares how son died after catching measles The UK Mail has: UK GRIPPED BY MEASLES CRISIS The Mail in Scotland has only WhatsApp cover-ups and BBC Scotland focus on the same plus catching up on Michelle Mone. What is the actual situation in Scotland with regard to measles vaccination rates compared to rUK figures? Well it’s pretty newsworthy you’d think. Typically in the West Midlands, they’d see no cases but in the last month they’ve had 50! … Continue reading Scotland’s ‘safest in UK’ measles vaccination rates not worth comparing in the media unlike drug deaths

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Misleading the public on hospital operations in Scotland for cheap political gain

January 18, 2024 johnrobertson834

In the Herald’s health newsletter and big on their website, today: It is fairly obvious that clearing the elective waiting list backlog depends on ramping up the number of patients getting into theatre for surgery. Yet the results of a new workforce survey, published today, highlight that a lack of available theatre spaces is (alongside stress and burnout) the number one gripe for the nation’s surgeons. Indeed, the most recent available data for Scotland illustrates just how much patient turnover continues to lag behind pre-pandemic levels. As of November 2023, a total of 25,922 operations were scheduled for theatre in … Continue reading Misleading the public on hospital operations in Scotland for cheap political gain

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Why the Barnett Formula is not a subsidy for Scotland

January 16, 2024 johnrobertson834

Leah Gunn Barrett The Barnett Formula is not a subsidy. To understand why it’s not, we need to understand the formula. Scottish public sector revenues are sent annually to the UK Treasury. Every five years there’s a spending review that decides England’s budget and then the Barnett Formula is applied. The formula gives Scotland the same revenue per person change in funding as the change in funding for similar English public services. From that, the UK Treasury allocates the Scottish government its block grant out of which it must fund the services for which it’s responsible. But the block grant … Continue reading Why the Barnett Formula is not a subsidy for Scotland

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Associating all problems with the SNP in government – Reporting Scotland’s subtle [not so] agenda on obesity

January 15, 2024 johnrobertson834

This morning in a short teaser for their pals at Disclosure Scotland who will be, later tonight, doing a special on obesity, Reporting Scotland find time for the above little bookend comment implying responsibility. In the longer online report, there is no mention of the Scottish Government. Regardless of whether it is conscious propaganda or a subconscious tendency, the longer term impact on viewers is the association of the Scottish Government with another problem that they are not directly responsible for and an association of a kind which BBC England, Wales and Northern Ireland rarely make with their governments. A … Continue reading Associating all problems with the SNP in government – Reporting Scotland’s subtle [not so] agenda on obesity

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As it surges across UK, youth homelessness falls steadily under SNP

January 14, 2024 johnrobertson834

The Guardian today has There has been a dramatic rise in the number of homeless young people in the UK since Christmas, charities have warned. The New Horizon Youth Centre in London said a record number of young people had asked it for help in the first week of January, while the charity Akt, which supports homeless LGBTQ+ young people, said it had seen more referrals than it would expect in a month. Roundabout in Sheffield and YMCA Trinity, which operates in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, also reported increases. Research by the charity Centrepoint estimated that 135,800 young people approached their … Continue reading As it surges across UK, youth homelessness falls steadily under SNP

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Scottish Labour – a parcel of rogues

January 13, 2024 johnrobertson834

LEAH GUNN BARRETT The new Scottish Labour MP Michael Shanks will speak at the Scotland in Union Burns supper later this month. Quelle surprise. During the by-election campaign Shanks said the constitutional debate was something ‘we have to completely ignore’ because it’s too divisive. Yet he’s voicing full-throated support for the failing union, because those are his orders from London. Scottish Labour is controlled by its English masters and if Shanks and his fellow Scots MP Ian Murray don’t fall in line with the unionist ‘better together’ lies, they can’t be members of the English Labour club with all its remunerative perks. As a reward for his fealty, … Continue reading Scottish Labour – a parcel of rogues

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