O/T. The Government's handling of Covid

[Ram59]

[QUOTE=ramAnag;39680153]

Out of interest Ram, which bit of my post was defending the BBC? Not that it needs me to and not that I accept your description of the ‘government hating BBC’.

My point was that perhaps the good news about vaccines was somewhat outweighed by the news about the dangers presented by the new variants (please note I avoided reference to the ‘British variant/virus’ to avoid offending your sensibilities) and the doubts raised by the Israelis about the efficacy of one of the vaccines.

I don’t know if you’re referring to the six o’clock or ten o’clock news. Tbh I didn’t watch either, largely because I’d sat through ninety minutes of the ‘Coronavirus Update’ programme and didn’t want depressing further.

I suppose, from the list you have provided, the message may be that there is other ‘news’ going on in our country and elsewhere.

Surely, had the BBC been as ‘government’ hating as you imply then news items such as the Home Office’s incompetent loss of criminal data, the fact that the UK has the worst (world leading!) per capita Covid figures in the World, and the news that the original information given out about the new variants (anything but British!) seems to have been hopelessly incorrect would have been given priority. Your list suggests they weren’t even mentioned.

If you actually read my post properly, you would see that I said that it was on the 'BBC news UK' website. Then on my answer to your first defence of the BBC, stating that maybe there were more important things to consider, I gave you a list of 'news headlines' which the BBC obviously thought were more important than the vaccine success.

So I gather from your comments that an 'Edinburgh landmark site going back on the market', is a more newsworthy item than the fact that the government is 'currently' on target, with the only action that will free us from this pandemic. IMO, I believe that the success of these vaccines, is the most important thing at the moment, not just for the UK, but the whole world.

I think that you would fail your English 'O' level exam, if you took it again.

[Andy_Faber]

A non-party political observation on today's vaccination number, just over 478,000

bl**dy Hell!

I'm a big optimist but I didn't think 'they' would get anywhere near that. 'They' deserve a case of beer (each) for their efforts

[swaledale]

A non-party political observation on today's vaccination number, just over 478,000

bl**dy Hell!

I'm a big optimist but I didn't think 'they' would get anywhere near that. 'They' deserve a case of beer (each) for their efforts

Just as long as the decision to delay the second dose of the vaccination does not backfire on them!

[Andy_Faber]

Just as long as the decision to delay the second dose of the vaccination does not backfire on them!

Agreed, and I hope they (they specifically being HMG this time) change their minds. But despite personally being used to transacting massive numbers on a computer, I consider going-on half a million physical actions in a day to be mind-boggling. And the story on the ground appears to be, pump out more vials and we can do even more

[swaledale]

Agreed, and I hope they (they specifically being HMG this time) change their minds. But despite personally being used to transacting massive numbers on a computer, I consider going-on half a million physical actions in a day to be mind-boggling. And the story on the ground appears to be, pump out more vials and we can do even more

Of course the fact that its the NHS and armed forces doing this and it hasn't been outsourced to a company that employs people who don't have a clue might have a bearing on why good progress is being made, now if only they had done the same with track and trace!

[Andy_Faber]

Of course the fact that its the NHS and armed forces doing this and it hasn't been outsourced to a company that employs people who don't have a clue might have a bearing on why good progress is being made, now if only they had done the same with track and trace!

No argument from me on that one

[swaledale]

[QUOTE=Ram59;39680433]

If you actually read my post properly, you would see that I said that it was on the 'BBC news UK' website. Then on my answer to your first defence of the BBC, stating that maybe there were more important things to consider, I gave you a list of 'news headlines' which the BBC obviously thought were more important than the vaccine success.

So I gather from your comments that an 'Edinburgh landmark site going back on the market', is a more newsworthy item than the fact that the government is 'currently' on target, with the only action that will free us from this pandemic. IMO, I believe that the success of these vaccines, is the most important thing at the moment, not just for the UK, but the whole world.

I think that you would fail your English 'O' level exam, if you took it again.

At this moment, 6 lead news articles, 3 of which including the lead article on Covid, the other 3 on important world news. I think your seeing things that exist only in your own mind, rather like those Trump supporters who believe in the absence of any empirical evidence that Trump won!

[Andy_Faber]

[QUOTE=swaledale;39680749]

At this moment, 6 lead news articles, 3 of which including the lead article on Covid, the other 3 on important world news. I think your seeing things that exist only in your own mind, rather like those Trump supporters who believe in the absence of any empirical evidence that Trump won!

I noticed the same as Ram yesterday, BBC very much under-reported it compared to other news outlets. To balance things out a bit, they did do a large piece on the subject this am

[ramAnag]

[QUOTE=Ram59;39680433]

If you actually read my post properly, you would see that I said that it was on the 'BBC news UK' website. Then on my answer to your first defence of the BBC, stating that maybe there were more important things to consider, I gave you a list of 'news headlines' which the BBC obviously thought were more important than the vaccine success.

So I gather from your comments that an 'Edinburgh landmark site going back on the market', is a more newsworthy item than the fact that the government is 'currently' on target, with the only action that will free us from this pandemic. IMO, I believe that the success of these vaccines, is the most important thing at the moment, not just for the UK, but the whole world.

I think that you would fail your English 'O' level exam, if you took it again.

Fair point Ram. I did overlook the website factor. Much like school days...I was probably talking at the back and not paying attention.

Having said that my point remains. In the same way as you regularly attack anything that is remotely pro EU you also like to have a go at the BBC and attack anything that is at all critical of the Government.

For the record, I 100% share your hopes as regards the vaccine and I will joyfully concede that so far they would appear to be surpassing expectation.

In the interests of what Andy would call ‘balance’ and on the direct subject of your thread, this has to be set aside our dreadful position in the Covid ‘league tables’, the doubts about the efficacy of the vaccine if the second dose is delayed for too long and the shambolic reaction to the emergence of the ‘British variant’.
Please remember this variant was identified and had taken hold before mid December. No statement was made about it until the 19th December when it was described as more transmissible but no more serious than the original Wuhan strain.
Despite the misgivings of all professionals Messrs Johnson and Williamson were still insistent that all schools should open as planned at the beginning of January. It was only the night before that they accepted such a move would be unwise and unsafe and it was only yesterday that the PM conceded that actually it would seem the British and South African strains/variants are likely to have more serious consequences.

So...in direct response to the thread...well done (hopefully) on the vaccines. Heads should roll elsewhere.

[swaledale]

[QUOTE=ramAnag;39680803]

Fair point Ram. I did overlook the website factor. Much like school days...I was probably talking at the back and not paying attention.

Having said that my point remains. In the same way as you regularly attack anything that is remotely pro EU you also like to have a go at the BBC and attack anything that is at all critical of the Government.

For the record, I 100% share your hopes as regards the vaccine and I will joyfully concede that so far they would appear to be surpassing expectation.

In the interests of what Andy would call ‘balance’ and on the direct subject of your thread, this has to be set aside our dreadful position in the Covid ‘league tables’, the doubts about the efficacy of the vaccine if the second dose is delayed for too long and the shambolic reaction to the emergence of the ‘British variant’.
Please remember this variant was identified and had taken hold before mid December. No statement was made about it until the 19th December when it was described as more transmissible but no more serious than the original Wuhan strain.
Despite the misgivings of all professionals Messrs Johnson and Williamson were still insistent that all schools should open as planned at the beginning of January. It was only the night before that they accepted such a move would be unwise and unsafe and it was only yesterday that the PM conceded that actually it would seem the British and South African strains/variants are likely to have more serious consequences.

So...in direct response to the thread...well done (hopefully) on the vaccines. Heads should roll elsewhere.

The BBC website doesn't reflect that at the moment, obviously news stories shift from day today and lets face it anyone could have a view on whats important.

The UK variant was first identified in mid September.

Scientists are taking issue with Johnson saying the new strain leads to more deaths, saying there isn't enough data to substantiate this yet.