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News Round Up

by Jonathan Barr
29 April 2021 2:07 AM

  • “‘Incredibly safe for two people to meet freely’ after Covid vaccination” – Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van Tam said yesterday that he was “highly confident scientifically” that there were no risks if two people who had received both jabs met up, but he urged the public not to do so yet, the Telegraph reports
  • “Government ‘turning blind eye’ to harm from classroom face mask policy” – Public Health England did not consider “any potential disbenefits” to wearing masks in the classroom before they recommended it, according to the Telegraph
  • “Our pandemic exit strategy should be rational, not dictated by Covid anxiety” – “Covid anxiety has permeated the scientific and policy communities, as well as the general public,” writes Robert Dingwall in the Telegraph.
  • “Have we reached herd immunity?” – Kate Andrews analyses the latest data from the ONS antibody survey for the Spectator. With 68.3% of the population reckoned to have antibodies, it suggests that Britain is well on the way to herd immunity
  • “Academic debate was shut down during the Covid crisis. We must not let that happen again” – Academics must urgently counter the very real danger of groupthink across a range of issues, argues Professor Paul Dolan in the Telegraph. Starting with lockdowns
  • “Our latest analysis of Covid vaccine reports is out now” – The ZOE Study’s analysis of vaccine efficacy and side-effects based on data from 627,383 ZOE contributors. They learned that around one in four people experience mild side effects, the most common being headaches, fatigue and tenderness around the injection site
  • “How concerned should we be by the Indian variant?” – Epidemiologist Paul Hunter explains in the Spectator that although there is “certainly a theoretical reason to be concerned” about the Indian variant, “we have yet to see enough evidence that it really is a game-changer”
  • “So now ‘Covid anxiety syndrome’ is a thing?” – “We can’t escape one crisis of inflated health risk by dreaming up new ways to be ill,” says Ashley Frawley in RT. “Instead, we need to refuse to see ourselves as forever patients in waiting”
  • “Why the media hysteria over Covid in India?” – Harry Dougherty provides a few correctives to the hysterical coverage of India’s epidemic
  • “Our new pandemic: Sleep deprivation from coronasomnia” – Kate Dunlop examines for the Conservative Woman a new health issue brought on “by Covid and its associated assaults on personal freedoms”
  • “Let us pray the Christian ‘Dunkirk Spirit’ saves us from sinister science” – Mark Pickles heralds the church leaders’ letter against vaccine passports in the Conservative Woman
  • “What is really happening in India?” – In the latest Pandemic Podcast, Dan Astin Gregory takes a detailed look at the data and reports coming out of India, which he says “go against the grain of the mainstream narrative we’re being presented with”
  • “Short Video on India Situation: What does the Current Data Say?” – Ivor Cummins turns his attention to what is going on India
  • “Is our relationship with the Government healthy?” – Looking at the way it’s developed over the last year, the Rev Phil Sacre thinks not
  • “EU lawyers demand immediate access to UK-made AstraZeneca vaccines” – The European Union is demanding that AstraZeneca immediately deliver vaccines from its factory in the UK, the Telegraph reports
  • “Joy Reid brags about wearing two masks while jogging outside after being fully vaccinated” – The MSNBC presenter said she wore two masks while out jogging in the park, despite being fully vaccinated, and that 95% of the people she saw were doing the same, according to the Post Millennial
  • “The Everything Bubble and What it Means for Your Money” – Writing for AIER, Colin Lloyd asks if the lesson from this pandemic might be “seize the day, place no trust in money”
  • “The Big Empty” – Sohrab Ahmari recounts a walk up 5th avenue for City Journal. “The lights were off; the activity had ground to a halt”
  • “CDC Punishes ‘Superstar’ Scientist For Covid Vaccine Recommendation The CDC Followed Four Days Later” – The US Centres for Disease Control pulled Dr. Martin Kulldorff from a vaccine safety advisory committee after he publicly disagreed with their decision to pause the Johnson & Johnson jab, according to the Federalist
  • “The High Costs of Lockdowns: An Interview with Dr. Bhattacharya” – An interview with the Stanford University Professor of Medicine on Jimmy Alfonso’s Substack blog
  • “Consumers Who Want Privacy Are Finally Getting Their Way” – Apple and Google are responding to a rising demand for privacy, writes Jeffrey A. Tucker at AIER, but Governments are getting more intrusive
  • “If you’re like 21 years old, and you say to me, should I get vaccinated? I’ll go no” – Watch Joe Rogan give out vaccine advice for healthy young people – it almost got him cancelled!
  • “It’s an absolute disgrace they’re not prepared to move the lockdown easing programme faster” – With 38 million people now living in areas with virtually no Covid, Hugh Osmond is frustrated by slow journey out of lockdown

Nearly 40 million people in England live in an area with almost no new Covid cases, according to Public Health England.

Hugh Osmond, founder of Punch Taverns: “It’s an absolute disgrace they’re not prepared to move the lockdown easing programme faster."@JuliaHB1 | @hughosmond https://t.co/HYrG3lNu1H

— TalkTV (@TalkTV) April 28, 2021
Tags: News Round-Up

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39 Comments
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Annie
Annie
4 years ago

Just don’t meet up with Van Tam. He’ll infect you with a super-virulent scary- variant of acute cretinism.

34
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Annie
Annie
4 years ago
Reply to  Annie

And I am a genuine maiden rich in Girton lore!

3
0
Julian
Julian
4 years ago
Reply to  Annie

Worse than that, he might tempt you to sell your soul to the Devil. And he’s probably not fun company.

2
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Winston Smith
Winston Smith
4 years ago
Reply to  Annie

😆

0
0
Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago
Reply to  Annie

Van Tam, Bill Gates and Michael Gove, they’ll none of them be missed… they’re going on my list.

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ExEcologist
ExEcologist
4 years ago
Reply to  Hugh

It’s getting to be a bloody long list. Are you sharpening your snicker snacker snee, ready for some chippy chippy chop?

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Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago

How safe were we anyway? Here is the basis I have been working on.

Officially,127,480 covid-19 deaths in the UK. This includes (but may not be limited to) any death within 28 days of a positive pcr test; deaths from people (Muslims for example) who were buried before they could have a proper autopsy but were put as covid-19 to be on the safe side; people who showed one or more of the symptoms associated with covid-19 when they died; people in care homes etc. who were put as covid-19 for reasons of convenience or duplicity.

So obviously the number who have died of covid-19 is significantly less than the official figure – but how much less? I am assuming at least 25% less, and possibly less than half the official figure. Are there any highest/lowest/probable estimates?

Then there is total deaths and total respiratory deaths for the year. My understanding is that total deaths for 2020 were about 68,0000 higher than expected, with the most deaths, adjusted for age and population, since 2008. However, some of those extra deaths were caused by lockdowns and related measures – were there many more respiratory deaths than usual? were there actually significant numbers of respiratory deaths over what would be expected after the Spring outbreak?

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Adamb
Adamb
4 years ago
Reply to  Hugh

150k deaths in around 28mio?

Last edited 4 years ago by Adamb
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Adamb
Adamb
4 years ago
Reply to  Hugh

I like the logic you’ve used but I think your rate is out by a factor of 100. Another thing you could say is taking Ioanniddis’s latest estimate of IFR 0.15%, based on 40% of the population being infected, the “real” number of deaths is more like 40k than 150k.

2
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Annie
Annie
4 years ago
Reply to  Hugh

If I have a body and an antibody, will they cancel out?

4
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Bella Donna
Bella Donna
4 years ago
Reply to  Hugh

It was manufactured hysteria right from the word go! There never was a pandemic just a politically motivated one and the gullible people fell for it. We should be maskless and walking around freely, going off on holidays and enjoying our lives, but we are not, which should scream at people that the problem lies with a government hooked on the power buzz and unwilling to release the people from their prison.

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RickH
RickH
4 years ago
Reply to  Bella Donna

There was a ‘pandemic‘ – but only because the severity of the disease had been conveniently removed from the definition.

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Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago
Reply to  Bella Donna

No pandemic, but there were more deaths than usual in April weren’t there, presumably because of some sort of bug going round?

0
0
RickH
RickH
4 years ago
Reply to  Hugh

“– but how much less?”

Best estimates are c. 1/5th are actually from Covid.

Into the risk equation, you have to feed (1) the chances of physically coming across an genuinely infective individual and (2) the chances of catching that infection within the particular circumstances. The chances are minute.

Last edited 4 years ago by RickH
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Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago
Reply to  RickH

So a lot less! Thinking about it, not that surprising. More deaths than usual in Spring, but for a relatively short period. More deaths than usual going into nAutumn/Winter, but not a huge amount more – and some of those caused by the restrictions (and vaccines?).

0
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Fingerache Philip
Fingerache Philip
4 years ago

Incredibly safe?
It’s completely, totally, perfectly, absolutely safe for 67 million vaccinated and unvaccinated people to meet up!!!!

Last edited 4 years ago by Fingerache Philip
16
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LS99
LS99
4 years ago

I’d never heard of Joe Rogan but looking at that Twitter thread … really, really depressing.

2
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Prester John
Prester John
4 years ago
Reply to  LS99

There is Twitter, and then again there is reality.

12
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karenovirus
karenovirus
4 years ago
Reply to  LS99

Joe Rogan is is great, a bit shouty for me and his podcasts are too long but he is as far removed from woke as you can imagine.

The only reason snowflakes would view his site would be to find something to be offended about.

1
0
PoshPanic
PoshPanic
4 years ago

If widespread antibody testing had taken place this time last year, I wonder what the results would have been?

5
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Prester John
Prester John
4 years ago
Reply to  PoshPanic

suppressed by now.

8
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LS99
LS99
4 years ago

Driving isn’t safe either.

9
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Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago
Reply to  LS99

used to be, back when they had a 4mph speed limit. I’m with the London to Brighton peo0ple though!

0
0
PoshPanic
PoshPanic
4 years ago

It’s like well safe innit.

12
0
TORs
TORs
4 years ago

In other news… The Director of Communications of the World Health Organization, Gabriella Stern (https://twitter.com/gabbystern), was formerly Director of Media and External Relations at — wait for it — the Bill & MelindaGates Foundation (https://www.odwyerpr.com/story/public/6118/2016-01-12/wsjs-stern-gates-foundation-pr-slot.html)

11
0
Prester John
Prester John
4 years ago

Time for a judicial review of the Secretary of State’s view that there is a public health situation justifying any measures, seeking an order to quash (invalidate) any restrictions as unreasonable and ultra vires.

But that assumes that the judiciary aren’t fully signed up to tyranny.

18
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Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago
Reply to  Prester John

Can’t they just do what they want since they started that politicised “supreme court” nonsense? Thank you very much, Mr. Blair.

1
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Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago
Reply to  Prester John

why I can’t emphasise enough, be careful what you say on here. Remember the film of 1984? They tried to join the resistance, but found they’d been had by the state. No doubt in years to come, it will turn out that the state were up to all sorts (perhaps details about the 77th will come out one of these days!). Though I have a nasty feeling they already know quite a lot about us.

2
0
wendy
wendy
4 years ago

So pleased by the Robert Dingwall piece. I am so glad he keeps trying to cut through the hysteria, he’s been trying for so long and I am thankful he hasn’t given up. Every day I come to this site looking for hope and sometimes if find it.

11
0
RickH
RickH
4 years ago

“The ZOE Study’s analysis of vaccine efficacy and side-effects based on data from 627,383 ZOE contributors. They learned that around one in four people experience mild side effects, the most common being headaches, fatigue and tenderness around the injection site”

Well – I obviously haven’t done proper sampling, but the opportunity sample that I have knowledge of has side effects nearer 2 to 3 in 4, and severe fever has been a large proportion.

This may be due to the fact that the Zoe figures, too, are derived from a non-random sample of younger individuals.

2
-1
peyrole
peyrole
4 years ago
Reply to  RickH

You last sentence reminded me to update readers of the progress in La Belle Francaise.
Nothing, nada, that is the number of positive tests ( cases) have peaked a fallen a smidgen, the number of hospitalisations/ ICU beds after positive test have peaked and fallen a smidgen, its still concentrated on Paris and the N East.
But this has prompted the Govt to announce ending restrictions on time for the May month of ‘bridging’ holidays. No geographical restrictions from 3 May, restaurants/cafes open for terraces 16 May and end of month for internal use. Vax certificates etc ruled out for any of this, possible use for large concerts in the summer. Border controls waiting for the Schengen/EU ‘green card’. Which means in practice that Antigen and PCR tests will apply for reentry from countries that allow you to get there in the first place. Emergency Legislation probably not renewed from 3 May , but for 6 months a sort of muddle, sorry middle path which would allow govt to take ‘measures’ if things ‘get out of hand’.
Re your Zoe comment, the French PCR tests have been concentrated on the 20-40 yr old group, and so that age group so now the most infected. Its just a testademic.
The all cause death rate for 2021 is mapping along the 2019 line almost exactly, indeed weirdly following monthly ‘bumps’. Obviously disease/deaths in France follows the monthly holiday pattern like the rest of the economy.

0
0
Annie
Annie
4 years ago
Reply to  peyrole

Do infections stop between midday and 2 p.m. while the virus has lunch?

0
0
peyrole
peyrole
4 years ago
Reply to  Annie

Its a very polite and well behaved virus, so I think you will be correct. In the same way it doesn’t infect when you are sitting down and eating or drinking, only when walking to or from the table. There are many other examples.

0
0
Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago
Reply to  peyrole

Ah yes, the region where they are still “vaccinating” over-75’s (by my calculations).

0
0
RickH
RickH
4 years ago

“Let us pray the Christian ‘Dunkirk Spirit’ saves us from sinister science”

I reckon the Dunkirk spirit went out the window ages ago. To extend the analogy – the inhabitants have been standing on the dockside welcoming the invaders with tea and homemade cakes.

3
-2
Hugh
Hugh
4 years ago
Reply to  RickH

There was a national day of prayer before the miracle of Dunkirk. Any common enterprise that would unite the nation these days? (Don’t tell me – panic buying?). The Gerries were said to be welcoming our D-Day Dodgers with tea in Italy! 🙂

. I tell you, their generation would have sorted this out.

0
0
peyrole
peyrole
4 years ago

He’s been told he appeals to the ‘Corrie-watching’ set, so he tries to use what he thinks are their idioms, just makes him look and sound like an idiot.

2
0
Amari
Amari
4 years ago

Britain is “well on the way to herd immunity”?? I am convinced we reached herd immunity back in the peak of infections a year ago.

1
0
Amari
Amari
4 years ago

I hate this safetyism in our society – it’s driving me crazy! Message in Asda: “if you have any concerns about safety, please speak to a member of our staff.” Sainsburys: “we are doing all that we can to keep you safe.” On the tube: “wear a covering over your nose and mouth. It’s there to protect us all.” In the toilets: “Please do not use this hand basin for everyone’s safety.” ararghghghghghgh!!!!

2
0

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