I was heartened to read this about covid.

Thank you so much for sharing this ! My anxiety was spiralling as the headlines are all doom and gloom . I woke up and read this and it’s really helped !

It did put rather a different spin on it - our lives are dominated by this black cloud of COVID-19 hanging over us all. We do have to be extremely careful still but we need hope too and to know that things may not necessarily be as bad as they seem.

I was heartened reading this too. The UK seems to be possibly getting on top of this, more so than say France where a lesser number of tests is showing a greater number of cases.

Don't really know what to think anymore. One day doom and gloom, one day hope, I think we just need to take it day by day.

Number of cases doesn't tell us much if we don't know whether they are mild cases, or severe ones.

That "if you test more, you find more" is so Trumpian... I use this for an accurate picture. It shows that the number of people with symptoms, not those in hospital, is increasing.
covid.joinzoe.com/data

I don`t beieve anything i read about covid anymore as i think the figures are mostly made up.
I am sticking to the rules of social distancing and wearing a face mask for mine and others protection.

I don`t understand the half of it..
Here in Swindon, we have been told that the Government is watching us!! why? one particular delivery depot had several infection cases, just that one place, not all over the town.

yet now, many of us are scared and cast down.. is it the media? or is it that the Government just does not know, does not understand,, then why not say so?

too many conflicting tales to my mind

then illegal immigrants invading our shores (of course I have sympathy for other peoples plights)

and people fly in from other countries, and round and round and up and down.... yet , well it seems to me that those of us who try to abide by the "law" are the ones who are likely to be locked up , again.

I agree Timetogo!

That testing more people results in more positive cases recorded, is self evident I would have thought. It would be useful to know how many if these cases require hospitalisation. Also where Covid-19 deaths occur, how long they have been ill for and if there were underlying conditions etc.

Thanks SC. Appreciated.

Thanks x

Although I like people I do not need them. In isolation from mid March I have found ordering online some interesting suppliers across country. Two kilo of fresh ripe Apricots arrived by ParcelForce yesterday. In truth, I love my life and in no hurry to go out and about. Which would not be wise in any case. A lovely younger woman has continued to keep me and my home in order and once a fortnight shops for any items not available online. Her cheerful partner waters the garden when necessary. Covid has created difficulties for so many less fortunate, so if all I have to contend with is isolation then I considered myself blessed.

It has always been true that the number of cases is not a very useful figure, whatever it is. The important figures are of hospitalised cases and deaths directly caused by Covid. If those are still going down or staying level even though raw cases numbers go up, that's a (relatively) good thing.

As of last night here in Scotland only 262 people were in hospital with Covid 19 and 4 in intensive care. We have around 6 million people living in Scotland so not much to worry about. The more tests are done, the more cases will be uncovered. Things do seem to be improving and the cases not as severe. I keep hoping that the virus is getting weaker.

It's just been announced that the R rate is back to 1 across the country (England), so that means that infection rates will increase unless the brakes are put on now.

It's expected that schools' returning in September will push the R rate up about 0.2, so I'm afraid optimism is misplaced. An R rate of 1.2 would mean that infection rates would start to increase exponentially again.

Americanpie It doesn't mean that cases are not so severe. It means that those who would be most severely affected are being sensible and still shielding themselves.

Baggs

It has always been true that the number of cases is not a very useful figure, whatever it is. The important figures are of hospitalised cases and deaths directly caused by Covid. If those are still going down or staying level even though raw cases numbers go up, that's a (relatively) good thing.

That's not the whole story. If cases are increasing (and it looks as though they are) it means that there is still community transmission, which means that those at risk of being severely affected need to continue being extremely careful. If they're not, there will be an increase in hospitalisations and deaths. In fact, there could very well be an increase over the next couple of weeks because there's always been a time lag.

I’m way too thick to understand anything to do with “figures” and “statistics” so I’m sorry I don’t read such thing’s anymore. I just try to be sensible.

Lucca

I’m way too thick to understand anything to do with “figures” and “statistics” so I’m sorry I don’t read such thing’s anymore. I just try to be sensible.

I don't believe for one moment that you're way too thick!

The trouble is that most people don't read the statistics, so politicians cherry pick a couple of headline figures to suit their agenda.

The truth is that infection rates have flatlined and increasing slightly. We're not back where we were at the beginning of April - yet. However, we will be if people start being complacent.

Carl Heneghan is the government's favourite source at the moment because what he says suits them. Unfortunately, most other scientists and doctors disagree with what he claims.

If we don't have more optimism and feel cautiously heartened by the good bits of news, then heaven help us. We will turn into a nation of paranoid, scared and risk averse people. I would prefer to have hope rather than doom and gloom.

There seems to be a slight increase in new cases in many places. Here (Denmark) one city has an increase and one slaugther-house in a different part of the country.

For these reasons, restrictions scheduled to be lifted in September will remain in place.

The line here seems to be that if we all still are careful about hygiene and distancing all will be well.

I find Professor Karol Sakora, a voice of calm and reason. He posts mostly on Twitter but also writes for the Daily Express.

Lucca

I’m way too thick to understand anything to do with “figures” and “statistics” so I’m sorry I don’t read such thing’s anymore. I just try to be sensible.

Aargh. Apologies for apostrophe surplus to requirements.

I actually am hopeless at anything that do with figures and science. I’m ok with words.

As is often quoted, there are lies, damn lies and statistics.

Track and trace follows on an infection, surprise surprise, it finds more cases, some of which, before track and trace, would never have been known about because there were few, if any, symptoms. . The upside is that a vulnerable person may get early treatment and stand a better chance of surviving.

What I find disappointing is that the rate of deaths compared to known cases seems much the same as at the beginning.

What it all amounts to is that although the chances of catching it are low, it is too soon to give up on the face masks and hand washing.