Tea time news update

Thank you Lully I didn’t know that.

The reason Peston may sound drunk is because he has a bad stammer and the breaths help him to control it. You can pick it up if you listen.

May be those journalists that keep asking the same questions are the same people that think it is acceptable to sit in the park, go to a party, visit relatives, go to a National Park, visit the seaside..................the list is endless! You know the type, "the virus doesn't exist" and "it won't affect me"! What a loads of b******s! It will be interesting if there's a spike in cases nationwide two weeks after the Easter holiday! I hope not! Happy Easter GNetters! Stay safe Stay Healthy and STAY AT HOME!

It is counterproductive Pogs, that's why I usually wander off - but perhaps that's what's intended.

Last evening's was much better. I watched all of it. But two people weren't there to ask questions!

I started a thread when they first started the daily media update and I was surprised by some of the reactions, some a tad silly but I found it interesting.

Now however I find it is a daily slog of repetition and I learn nothing. The government spokesperson in charge on the day must ask for questions that are not a repeat of the one before or his/her answer will be refer to questioner for your answer. Ask politely if they have a second/new question and if the answer is no MOVE ON.

This will allow more questions to be asked/answered and if the woeful media cannot come up with anything new that would be their fault for having journalists of such a low calibre.

We need to know what problems require solving, how they can be solved and what the government are doing. We need to know the scientific advice and updates from the Health Service and from that point on I tend to switch off after a couple of questions as they are asking questions invariably that have just been answered for the sake of asking.

I worry this format is now counterproductive.

I always say if you want to hear the truth, hear from the horses mouth then watch BBC Parliament for your information. Channel 232.

Yesterday for example aired the Select Committee debating the Corona Virus Economy Impact and is repeated today.

It's not so much the questions themselves as the repetition and delivery. And when the camera flashes back to the journalists' faces they are hardly listening to the answers. This is in stark contrast to the scientists who make notes, pause for reflection and deliver a clear, articulate response.
I think the best of the pack is probably Beth Ridler from Sky. She isn't as aggressive as Laura K.

I agree about Robert Peston he always seems to be drunk!

It is not the briefings that annoy me - they are easily avoided. It is the relentless repetitive 'adverts' that pop up during and between programmes. Just when you are enjoying a bit of escapism or comedy to take your mind off the dire situation, up pops some sombre spokesperson to remind us that we are all going to die

I am hardly watching any TV, preferring to play computer games or clean, exercise or knit with my favourite music blasting out.

We watch the briefing and then the journalists being repetative, asking questions which have already been spoken about.

Evan Davies on radio 4 at 4.30/ 6.00 is the most sensible of the lot. A better listen and a cheering request at the end before 6.00. We have had La Mer, Here Comes the Sun and some Jeeves and Wooster.

Hetty growstuff excellent posts. Did you read the NY Times link? The reason I mention this is that one of the points it makes is about how Germany is dealing with infected people at home, how they see doctors early, are monitored and have earlier admission to hospital. This seems to impact number if deaths and there is less need for ventilation. If we are going down the ‘most people will get it route’ then surely we need better strategies in the community than just contact 111 online. It’s all left to the individual’s judgement without personal monitoring contact.

As others have said, the media breathlessly asking if lockdown will be renewed is utterly head bangingly awful.

I give the news 15 minutes of my day then turn it off for the rest of the day. Expecting anyone to have all the answers makes no sense. If there was a clear, concise response it would be in use. Govt. leaders, researchers and front line stalwarts would jump at a solution. My anxiety in no way helps.

Really well articulated Hetty and growstuff.
You two should be on tv!
?

I agree with everything you've written Hetty.

I wonder how many people really believed the lockdown would only last three weeks. I must admit I haven't read that widely on the topic, so I don't know what the MSM is claiming.

Anybody with a brain even slightly larger than a goldfish must realise that restrictions need to continue until there's a vaccine. Herd immunity is still very much on the agenda and there will come a point within the next few weeks when the NHS is totally overwhelmed. That's why the Nightingale hospitals have been built. People will die, either because there aren't enough ICU beds or because other procedures are being postponed or cancelled.

The deaths aren't rising quite so fast as predicted, so maybe there's a slight flattening off, but still the rate of increase is one of the fastest in the world. Of course, the government isn't going to admit to any failure on its part, especially now the boss is out of action.

I would ask why the government still isn't addressing the holes in financial assistance to some of the lowest and most insecure paid. There are also people being told to leave rental accommodation because they're key workers. I'd like to know what the government is going to do to protect them.

There is absolutely nothing the government can do to kill the virus, apart from locking everybody in individual cells to stop transmission, which wouldn't of course be possible. It has a choice - everybody is infected within a short time or within a longer time frame. The government does need to stop fudging and to tell the truth. However, I'm not sure what would happen if it did. Would everybody bite the bullet and think that they might as well get it over and done with? What does our Home Secretary think about enforcing the lockdown more effectively?

Arrangements for protecting the most vulnerable need tightening up because there are reports that they're not working that well in some parts of the country. Arrangements for convalescence also need tightening up. If ever there were a need for an efficient civil service it's now. I'd like to know what the government intends to do about ensuring that people do get the assistance they've been promised.

Growstuff - 'what questions would you ask?'

I'd ask why the lockdown is being dishonestly presented as a solution. It's a mere delaying tactic, (a very important one but) that's all.

I'd ask about the 'exit strategy' too, because, unless a miracle happens and a vaccine is developed and produced in record time, there isn't one - we are still in a (slowed down) herd immunity situation.

The whole point of lockdown is to prevent excess deaths. The more the NHS is overwhelmed, the more there'll be.

We are held back from catching the virus - so that we can be processed through the hospitals in batches. Why is that not clearly explained?

The plan is to lift restrictions, then watch infections and death rates rise again until they are, of necessity, imposed for a second time.

It's not much of a plan - but better than nothing. Why has it not been presented and discussed?

Why was lockdown presented initially for three weeks (when we knew it would have to be longer)?

Do the public need to be treated like small children and protected from the truth? If so, who made that decision?

The fact remains that the virus will spread until about 80% of the public has had it. At that point it should naturally die out, due to difficulty of transmission - perhaps by next spring. The lockdown has just extended the timeframe for infection - all we could do with an inadequate NHS.

So what should be done to the person on the other end of the question who repeatedly doesn't answer the question [which happens 90% of the time].

We’ve never used so many swear words in our house as we do when it gets to the reporters’ questions. Some waste so much time asking questions that even as a layman I can answer.

The PM aught to play a game where if you repeat a question that’s already been asked a big stick with a large hook on the end picks you out and drags you off!

Call this story about Germany counting deaths differently is just that - a story. This is an excellent article explaining why they’ve done so well and testing is a key ( but not the sole ) factor. The CMO yesterday was pretty clear that there were lessons to be learned from Germany’s testing strategy

www.nytimes.com/2020/04/04/world/europe/germany-coronavirus-death-rate.html

"Grannynannywanny" (brilliant name, by the way) what a wonderful analogy!

Laibak it is puzzling why the Germans are doing better than other countries (if we can call it better , just not as bad) because I don't think they have gone into a lockdown like Italy and Spain and have not introduced such strict restrictions as others have, including the UK.

I heard that anyone with an underlying condition with which they could have lived for many years, but who caught COVID19 and died, had their death recorded as being from the underlying condition.
I don't know if that is true.

I do think Peston has become far more opinionated; perhaps he is trying to prove he is better than Kuenssberg as she got the job he wanted.
I think he speaks like that, though, because he overcame a stammer.

Some of the questions from many journalists are just inane.

I totally agree I find myself asking ‘didn’t you listen they already answered that ‘ time and time again !!

It’s like they’re dying to trip them up ! I can’t remember the mans name today but wanted to cheer when asked yet another ridiculous and wrong question he started by saying - actually I disagree and you are wrong .. this is what was said .

What questions would you ask?

Laura Kuessenburg and Robert Peston are so full of their own importance. Ms Kuessenburg was quite good when she first started out but she got too self opinionated very quickly.

I’m so glad we’re not the only household shouting at the TV.

I listen to the report (I like graphs) and then make the tea while the question bit is on and come back for the report afterwards.

They are like kids in the back seat of the car repeatedly asking “are we nearly there yet?

A perfect analogy!

This is the time i am glad i dont have a tv.i think the media is hyping things up.they not really helping scare mongering..yes i am truly sad that so many people are not keeping the lock down.they dont realise its not just sneezing and coughing that passes germs on....i say full lock down for at least 2 weeks.

The journalists repeatedly asking for a time scale on the length of restrictions and wanting to know the “exit strategy” are so irritating. They are like kids in the back seat of the car repeatedly asking “are we nearly there yet? As for Robert Peston and his drawn out self importance ?