Current Affairs

[towny44]

Infections are going up now

How do you know that? All I know is that the number of positive tests is going up which is not surprising with surge testing taking place. We have no idea, and never have had any idea, how many "infections" there are and the only way for that data to be meaningful would be to test the entire population every week. We could reduce the number of "infections" overnight by reducing the number of tests that are done.

Not to mention that other countries won’t want us to visit if we have high levels of infection.

I refer to the above and the only reason that we appear to have a higher rate of "infections" (a.k.a positive test results) than some other countries is because we are testing more than these other countries and it follows that the more tests that are done then there will be positive test results.

I just wish that we used sensible data instead of sensationalist big numbers. There are only three valid accurate datasets where Covid is concerned - the number of hospitalisations, the total deaths and the number of vaccines given - everything else is just meaningless numbers without any context.

We really should be using the ONS data which although showing an increase is much lower than the raw daily infection rate, which is highly skewed by the surge testing.

[Quizzical Bob]

Infections are going up now

How do you know that? All I know is that the number of positive tests is going up which is not surprising with surge testing taking place. We have no idea, and never have had any idea, how many "infections" there are and the only way for that data to be meaningful would be to test the entire population every week. We could reduce the number of "infections" overnight by reducing the number of tests that are done.

Not to mention that other countries won’t want us to visit if we have high levels of infection.

I refer to the above and the only reason that we appear to have a higher rate of "infections" (a.k.a positive test results) than some other countries is because we are testing more than these other countries and it follows that the more tests that are done then there will be positive test results.

I just wish that we used sensible data instead of sensationalist big numbers. There are only three valid accurate datasets where Covid is concerned - the number of hospitalisations, the total deaths and the number of vaccines given - everything else is just meaningless numbers without any context.

Covid was 24th in the list of causes of death in May this year. Ischaemic heart disease was top of the list.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulation ... s-of-death

[Ranchi]

Oh dear!
From today’s press.

Youtuber and boyfriend in court over cruise fight
A brawl broke out on a luxury cruise ship after a Youtuber and her boyfriend were challenged by a family over swearing, a court has heard.

Paul Evans and Tabatha Young launched a “violent and chaotic” attack on the family of five during a voyage to Norway on P&O’s Royal Britannia ship.

Southampton court heard police took Evans and Young into custody once the ship docked at Southampton.

Evans is accused of robbery and three counts of actual bodily harm following the attack on July 26 2019.

Young, a boxing enthusiast, pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm last year. Evans denies robbery and three charges of actual bodily harm.

[barney]

Wow!
It took two years to get to court.

[david63]

P&O’s Royal Britannia ship

Typical media - cannot check the details

[Mervyn and Trish]

I trust that in addition to any legal penalty they are also barred by all cruise lines from ever booking again.

[Gill W]

Over 16000 ‘positive test results’ yesterday but the government dashboard tells me that that tests carried out remains broadly the same.

That doesn’t tie in with ‘we are finding more because we are testing more’

That tells me there are more ‘infections’.

[david63]

That doesn’t tie in with ‘we are finding more because we are testing more’

What I, and others, have said is that we are testing more than other countries which is why our so called infection rate is higher than other countries.

That tells me there are more ‘infections’.

No - that tells you that there are more positive test results, largely driven by surge testing. There is no correlation between the number of positive tests results and the number of infections. In fact there is an argument that because testing is aimed at certain areas that overall infection rates could be falling.

[Onelife]

All of what you say may be true David but it clearly demonstrates that there are far more potential Delta spreaders than you, me, others, the Government thought there were.

[Onelife]

Well fancy that, Harry and Meghan’s revelation about the Firm being racially discriminate seems to have some truth behind it not!!

[david63]

there are far more potential Delta spreaders than you, me, others, the Government thought there were.

But then that starts to become inconsequential as every day there are more people gaining immunity from the vaccine so there are less people to spread it to.

[david63]

Well fancy that, Harry and Meghan’s revelation about the Firm being racially discriminate seems to have some truth behind it not!!

And what about the other revelation that they were cut off without a penny when Daddy supported then throughout the summer

[Ranchi]

One problem is the use of the term ‘rate’. I would have expected the ‘rate’ to have been higher in the early days when you were only allowed access to a test if you were symptomatic.
I’m a bit disillusioned with the data that we often see in the media e.g. graphs without clear axes useless at best and shocking if deliberate.
btw, I am not disagreeing with the posts above.

[Kendhni]

Well fancy that, Harry and Meghan’s revelation about the Firm being racially discriminate seems to have some truth behind it not!!

And what about the other revelation that they were cut off without a penny when Daddy supported then throughout the summer

I used to like Harry, thought he was a breath of fresh air, now I just think he is just another entitled little runt.
His actress of a wife gave an Oscar winning performance infront of Oprah (someone whose job seems to be to feign incredulity at anything anyone says).

[Ray B]

Ken, do you mean 'WHAT'!!!!

[Onelife]

Well fancy that, Harry and Meghan’s revelation about the Firm being racially discriminate seems to have some truth behind it not!!

And what about the other revelation that they were cut off without a penny when Daddy supported then throughout the summer

I used to like Harry, thought he was a breath of fresh air, now I just think he is just another entitled little runt.
His actress of a wife gave an Oscar winning performance infront of Oprah (someone whose job seems to be to feign incredulity at anything anyone says).

He along with Andrew, Edward and a dare say a few others I don’t care to mention.

[Onelife]

Well fancy that, Harry and Meghan’s revelation about the Firm being racially discriminate seems to have some truth behind it not!!

And what about the other revelation that they were cut off without a penny when Daddy supported then throughout the summer

I though the money paid was Charlies way of saying “look after yourselves” we’ve stopped your security.

It’s what’s known in Royal circles as a severance payment

[towny44]

One problem is the use of the term ‘rate’. I would have expected the ‘rate’ to have been higher in the early days when you were only allowed access to a test if you were symptomatic.
I’m a bit disillusioned with the data that we often see in the media e.g. graphs without clear axes useless at best and shocking if deliberate.
btw, I am not disagreeing with the posts above.

In your initial example the percentage of positive tests to the the total number would have been quite high, currently it is very low because the vast majority of those now being tested are negative. Which supports the old adage of lies, damn lies and statistics.
I wonder what the ONS data says at present I perhaps ought to be able to quickly obtain this, but life (or at least what's left of mine) is far too short for me to bother but I guess Gill or Ken will know.

[towny44]

Well fancy that, Harry and Meghan’s revelation about the Firm being racially discriminate seems to have some truth behind it not!!

And what about the other revelation that they were cut off without a penny when Daddy supported then throughout the summer

I though the money paid was Charlies way of saying “look after yourselves” we’ve stopped your security.

It’s what’s known in Royal circles as a severance payment

I thought their severance payment was the 12 months that the UK taxpayer paid for their security.

[oldbluefox]

According to this article Charles paid £4million for their security as Trump said he wouldn't be paying it and they couldn't afford it themselves. It must be tough at the top.

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/0 ... ll-mystery

[Gill W]

That doesn’t tie in with ‘we are finding more because we are testing more’

What I, and others, have said is that we are testing more than other countries which is why our so called infection rate is higher than other countries.

That tells me there are more ‘infections’.

No - that tells you that there are more positive test results, largely driven by surge testing. There is no correlation between the number of positive tests results and the number of infections. In fact there is an argument that because testing is aimed at certain areas that overall infection rates could be falling.

Personally, I'm not even looking at other countries, we've got enough to think about without comparing ourselves to others.

I'm just looking at our data.

I see there's another 16000 positive tests today. that's an increase of nearly 45% in positive tests in the last 44 days - and yet actual tests carried out has only increased by 7.9%. Even if it is surge testing - then the rational conclusion is that infections are surging more in the surge test areas.

What do you think is happening to the pandemic in the UK? do you think it's growing, shrinking or remaining at the same level?

[Mervyn and Trish]

I wonder if Charles could send me a new padlock for our shed?

[Stephen]

Go the whole hog, go for the new shed

[Gill W]

One problem is the use of the term ‘rate’. I would have expected the ‘rate’ to have been higher in the early days when you were only allowed access to a test if you were symptomatic.
I’m a bit disillusioned with the data that we often see in the media e.g. graphs without clear axes useless at best and shocking if deliberate.
btw, I am not disagreeing with the posts above.

In your initial example the percentage of positive tests to the the total number would have been quite high, currently it is very low because the vast majority of those now being tested are negative. Which supports the old adage of lies, damn lies and statistics.
I wonder what the ONS data says at present I perhaps ought to be able to quickly obtain this, but life (or at least what's left of mine) is far too short for me to bother but I guess Gill or Ken will know.

Well, it took me 30 seconds to find this link to last week's ONS report

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulation ... lot/latest

They report weekly, each Friday, so there's another one due tomorrow.

On the last report they estimated that 1 in 520 people would test positive in England, If we set that as our benchmark, we can see what happens tomorrow, and track it each week

[Onelife]

According to this article Charles paid £4million for their security as Trump said he wouldn't be paying it and they couldn't afford it themselves. It must be tough at the top.

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/0 ... ll-mystery

I loved the picture in the article as it showed how much people adored the couple, understandable when you consider they had so much to offer this country.