Your opinion on reporting of the pandemic

Alegrias

Fair comment Soniah. I don't think there is a sinister plot behind it all, I just don't think that much of the media are very good at reporting important stories. I think they are manipulating our emotions, instead of informing us.

As jeanlang wrote, they are more concerned with trying to attack politicians rather than reporting "the" news. (Whatever "the" news is.) And as Caro57 said, we get their opinions instead of facts. Have they all forgotten how to be journalists??

And I agree with you about the second wave.

I agree with you 100%. Most of them have become propaganda tools. Some of them always were, but it used to be possible to get a balanced view from reading the broadsheets. When I was at school, we were told to read the Times and the Guardian.

@GrannyGravy13
'There is litttle if no reporting of the fact that for the eight week running the UK deaths have been below the five year average.'

This is because we have all mostly followed the social distancing rules. Therefore the usual virus illnesses/deaths are greatly reduced.

Other than the news reports, I personally know a handful of people who have had it and recovered. One of the five had no symptoms. A sixth has been left with serious health issues. Two others died recently.

After many heated debates, US Schools and universities have opened in many places around the country......Many of them are now reporting new Covid outbreaks and some universities have had to close and send students home.

From listening to my family doctor, my own personal observations and that of others, including the Scientific community along with statistical curves and charts, I've come to my own conclusion which is that we need to take this virus very seriously. Do your best to protect yourselves and your families. Avoid public bathrooms, wear a mask, continue to maintain social distancing and wash your hands, a lot!

BBC reports that Mr Chicken Licken, two, of Nobodyswherehas received fim evidence that the firmament is about to collapse with immediate effect.

The Guardian follows up with an exclusive interview where Mr Licken declares, 'The sky has fallen in.'

The Telegraph, in other news, reports an unusual fall of acorns, some striking passers by below.

I thought that we have up to 1000 new cases daily.......not an insignificant number. What I don't like from the authorities is the lack of honesty and integrity in their reporting.

Thank goodness for social media, and the press. Where I live it was the local pub who informed us via Facebook that they are closed for a deep clean as a client has informed them that he has tested positive for CV19. He also used the local buses. Nothing from the authorities.

In France it has only taken little more than a week to go up
to 5000 cases per day, its very worrying and its not just
the media exagerating .
We are now wearing masks in the street, shops ,everywhere
except at home, it really doesn't hurt
As I read recently, if you don't like wearing a mask , you
won't like a ventilator, summed it up for me.My health
matters more than any speculation on the media or government and any hidden agenda. I've got a life and I intend to keep it

All I can do is be as sensible as possible, to avoid catching or spreading the bug. Reading the news won’t affect my behaviour, and I have grown very bored with the entire coverage. Apart from glancing at a few websites to see what is (allegedly) going on I tend to just get on with life.
I’m not going to hide indoors, but there are plenty of things that I can safely do, especially as our local lockdown is being cancelled. I’ve done my three score years + twenty-one, and we all have to die of something. I would rather go with Covid than linger on with dementia, that’s for sure!

As crazy as this may be, reading all of your post gives me a small sense of comfort about C19. Although we all know the entire world is dealing with the same terror it's comforting to read that others feel the same as I do. Here in the Mid West of USA, our businesses have been opened since May and our schools have been reopening for the past 2 weeks. Our C19 numbers continue to rise. There seems to be no plan to close the school down if they remain active with infections. Everyone here seems to have a different opinion of what should be done but no plans to do anything at all. Those that agree with our President seem to be blinded to the rising infection rates. Our politicians seem to close their eyes to rising infections to please our President. Then you have the opposition who will complain but don't offer any alternative plans. I feel like we are completely on our own as citizens. Waking up every morning I pray it is all a big nightmare and I will be able to hold and kiss my grandsons again. But no such luck. The entire world seems to be in the same horrific place. Very sad. On the brighter side, you all have kept me from losing my mind. I feel comforted as I read all of your post on the many topics you tackle. Thank you for that.

Oh how I agree with rowanflower, statistics can be used to say anything you like and so much of the reporting is skewed to be negative

I read the other day that more people are dying now from flu and pneumonia than covid.

I think the media has a big part to play in encouraging us to get out and about.

If we are not careful the recession will have a more devastating impact on our lives than the tiny risk of catching the virus and an even tinier risk of dying from it.

We have a population of sixty eight million (plus the ones we know nothing about) so that puts the deaths in perspective.

Obviously the vulnerable should still be very careful but the vast majority of us should guard against excessive fear.

You get out and about as much as you want JE and I sincerely hope that you do not come to harm,.

I see you managed to get a dig in about illegal immigrants JenniferEccles! Well done!

varian

You get out and about as much as you want JE and I sincerely hope that you do not come to harm,.

I really object to being accused of excessive fear for being sensible and weighing up risks by the reckless!

I wonder how many single mothers were told it was OK if you had sex standing up?

wearing a mask will help prevent catching the common cold and this winter's flu, so its 2 for the price of 1!

There is a world-wide recognised pandemic.

People are dying or becoming seriously ill with many on-going after-effects (although not seriously ill with Covid I have had several infections since, which I am told are Covid-related).

Quibble all you want about statistics, Covid-19 has not gone away yet. It's not nearly over.

This thread was about reporting of Covid and reporting has always been subjective. Read everything with a pinch of salt.

Halfpint1 love your quote, 'if you don't like wearing a mask, you won't like wearing a ventilator!

Halfpint1 love your quote, 'if you don't like wearing a mask, you won't like wearing a ventilator!

Something the media hasn't been quick to mention is that ventilators were over used at the start of the pandemic.

It's since been discovered that they aren't always needed.

It's been a learning curve. An unknown. But we're learning how to deal with the virus much better than initially

www.statnews.com/2020/04/21/coronavirus-analysis-recommends-less-reliance-on-ventilators/

The trouble with the media is all of it, including the BBC, is staffed by journalists. My daughter is a journalist. Her performance is measured first and foremost by the impact of the stories she writes. She takes care to make sure her pieces are accurate (not true of many journalists), but in order to get people to read what she writes the content is spun.

Human beings have a cognitive bias. They are more likely to read negative stories than positive ones. It possibly evolved as a way to anticipate and avoid trouble, but in the modern world its being massively exploited by the media. Every journalist knows if you present the facts in a negative way then more people will read your article, or listen to your news item. Currently anything about second waves is being lapped up, so an up and coming journalist who wants to demonstrate to their editor that they are having an impact will write about a second wave. The public pay more attention to negativity therefore they get negativity.

That's really illuminating SunnySusie, what a strange world we live in....

The media have behaved disgracefully throughout. They have drowned us in frightenintg news, which has often been pure speculation . Luckily I live with sane and reasonable people, and we are in good health. Those who live alone, are timid or suffering depression must have gone through hell listening to the reports that have been made and the distortions of truth.

Strange how people have different perceptions. Maybe some people are of an anxious disposition because I've missed this "frightening news".

What I have seen is manipulation of statistics to hide reality, clips of our alleged leader trying to make stupid jokes and talking of "world beating" systems and attempts to persuade the public that there's a vaccine just round the corner and a "blame game" with the government ducking responsibility for its own failures.

I don't know anyone who has had covid but out of the 16 properties in our close, one man has been sectioned and I fear that a dear neighbour who I took out every week, will never venture out again.

growstuff

Strange how people have different perceptions. Maybe some people are of an anxious disposition because I've missed this "frightening news".

What I have seen is manipulation of statistics to hide reality, clips of our alleged leader trying to make stupid jokes and talking of "world beating" systems and attempts to persuade the public that there's a vaccine just round the corner and a "blame game" with the government ducking responsibility for its own failures.

I agree. Nothing frightening, but reports that need looking at with your critical head on.

Figures are now showing that the increase in infections is in the 20 to 40 year olds with far fewer in older people.

Despite this increase there has not been a rise in hospital admissions, and three quarters of those who tested positive were asymptomatic.

Apparently this trend has been noted in other European countries.

Obviously we are all aware that the virus is still around and a certain amount of caution is sensible at least until a vaccine is available.

I still think there is much to be encouraged about from those latest findings.

Whitewavemark2
What about your own project fear? Do you remember when you gave a prediction of a rise in covid 19 in 4 weeks time?
Nothing happened dispute the country going through some of the hottest weather we have known which sent 1,000s rushing to the beaches.