Forum Topic

Government by Gaslighting

The Government has now been called out by the ONS for only reporting "hospital deaths" for Covid 19, and not all deaths.UK deaths last week were 47% higher than the average in previous years."The provisional number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 3 April 2020 (Week 14) was 16,387; this represents an increase of 5,246 deaths registered compared with the previous week (Week 13) and 6,082 more than the five-year average.""In London, nearly half (46.6%) of deaths registered in Week 14 involved COVID-19; the West Midlands also had a high proportion of COVID-19 deaths, accounting for 22.1% of deaths registered in this region."Our death rate is now looking worse than Italy or Spain at their height. And it seems we may have another two weeks to go before the UK reaches its peak.Too little, too late, and far too unclear / mixed messages.  I expect that we will be told yet again this afternoon that the government is still "ramping up" the response.We are being played (yet again).  The "£350m a week for the NHS" on the side of the bus and Gove's "70 million Turks arriving next Tuesday" were disingenious.  But these new lies have a more obvious, immeadiate and dramatic effect.When will we (collectively) learn not to trust Johnson & Co?Full report here.https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/weekending3april2020

T P Howell ● 2395d8 Comments

It has been mentioned numerous times not that you have noticed of course that all Nations only report hospital deaths and the UK Government is following the International modelFor what its worth though I think all Covid deaths should be reported

Paul Fisher ● 2395d

I think the Government scientific advisors have always said their data is for hospital deaths only, not total deaths as per ONS data. They've said the reason being is so they can compare data with other countries on a like for like basis.  Consequently i think it is flawed to compare ONS data with the data from Italy etc.  I don't think the Government has made any secret of the difference between ONS and the numbers they present and have pointed out (during daily briefings) that ONS data will be different, why it is different and that it is freely available.  I'm not sure the Government is being 'called out' or that we are being 'played'. It is however, awful to see such big numbers of deaths and hopefully best efforts will be made to limit in the future. What different actions would the other political parties would have done had they won the election? I suspect (hope) they would be taking their lead from the chief scientists, who would be the same people as we have on the TV daily. I suppose the point I'm making is it is a fairly apolitical situation and that the motivation of whichever party were in power would be making the same efforts and have the same goals. 

Rob Reynolds ● 2395d

Plenty of reports on the BBC this morning about the numbers of deaths and cases in care homes and hospices. They have also been reporting on the number of incremental deaths over and above the normal weekly rates for this time of year. I have no doubt it will be many months before all details wash through and we get a better view of the final numbers.

Paul Scullion ● 2395d

Indeed it will all hopefully come out in the end especially the news I just saw on SKY that covid-19 is being entered on death certificates from those who have died in care homes on many occasions when it could have been just a guessMorbid perhaps but I think I would want a correct and accurate reason for dying on my death certificate and also my loved ones

Paul Fisher ● 2395d

Don't think they would test after death.

Janice Evans ● 2395d

I agree that all Covid-19 deaths should be recorded and reported as such. The UK can't as there is not enough test kits available. And its wrong to say that no country reports care home Covid-19 deaths. France has done from 2 April - and had to accept the massive hike in reported deaths that resulted from that decision. But then again, if you'd watched Macron yesterday evening you saw a mature, responsible, understanding premier make a strong but balanced speech. Things like saying "yes, we got it wrong and were not adequately prepared". Not seen Johnson or Trump make such a simple acknowledgement.

Alan Clark ● 2395d

Unless the relatives pay for an autopsy.  You can do it with animals so imagine you can with people.

Claire Moran ● 2395d

You are asked by the registrar whether you agree with the cause of the death on the death certificate.  Only once that there was a fuss about MRSA and there was a desire to find out how prevalent it was was it added to certificates.  Perhaps they sometimes can't find anything else to write?

Philippa Bond ● 2395d