I don't think he did. From what I can gather this has been the methodology since the start (on the 27th) of when home testing kits were first sent out. I've put a few ideas in my post why they may do it this way, but I don't think this was last minute revisionism. Its still confusing though.

 

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To follow indeed.

Yes, lets celebrate having the worst death rate per capita in the world

All you right wingers who cant shake off your tribalism, will your attitude change if someone you love actually dies, or will you still slavishly defend the govt?

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My wife has made us masks this evening, using some old silk material and elastic. Very comfortable to wear and does not deprive any staff who need them of proper surgical masks. When it comes to ordinary people, homemade is best.

Will try them out when we go to the supermarket tomorrow for our weekly shop.

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In terms of absolute death numbers, you are still behind Italy (but still the 2nd highest in Europe), and in terms of Covid-19 related mortality rate per 100,000, you are in 4th place in Europe (40.3/100,000 vs 66.5/100,00 for Belgium, which still is topping the European table in this regard) 

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Going by the FT estimate of deaths, we are top

But that is unofficial of course

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it’s possibly the way we’ve been looking at it!  Gavin gives us the daily figures which I assume is from this:

— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) May 1, 2020

That shows: tests carried out, positive results and deaths, reported on that day.  We know there’s a lag in death reporting, so we know that figure doesn’t accurately report figures for that date.  We didn’t think about the lag between tests and results!  

There is nothing on there that says the number of positive results relate to the number of tests carried out.  That’s why I’ve been questioning Gavin’s percentage figures!

 

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Worth keeping a close eye on official data, comrade:

 https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea

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This tracing. When someone is found to have the virus, what is the process from there and the mechanisms used. Obviously they are asked who they have seen recently and others asked who live with them, but are they asked where have they been. Is this info captured by a questionnaire, someone calling and asking questions/interrogating, send the boys round!
Just interested 'what the hunt' is like once a test proves positive.

von der Leyen right on the money here. Global cooperation is what is required now.

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20200501-talking-europe-watch-our-interview-with-ursula-von-der-leyen-eu-commission-president 

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Actually I don't I have a Google Pixel 4. 

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These are the numbers of deaths with a positive CV19 test confirmed. The UK has not been testing much for the last 2 months, so there are many deaths which are not attributed to CV19, plus a lot of inaccurate death certificates at care homes. This is why the total number of excess deaths will eventually be the best proxy of covid mortality, the same process is followed every year for deaths caused by flu.

At the moment our excess mortality is very high, but numbers for other countries might not be complete yet.

 

I've been wondering this. If you die of heart disease and test positive for CV19 do you count in the death statistics?

 

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I don't know, but my guess is yes.

Headline in the Fail:

What a Fiddle 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html

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I think yes.  They call heart disease a known underlying problem. This is one of the anomalies between the reporting of different countries and it’s the reason we’re being told that the only true picture will come from stats showing deaths above average. 

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They’ve got to sell papers somehow Brian!  

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Perhaps, but this is also very presumptive. As mentioned the other day, excess deaths seems to be higher in England than the rest of the UK, and I would guess that if England data was broken down, that this excess would be confined to certain regions within the region rather than as a whole. 

..which I acknowledge is more presumption on my part. 

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As far as I know, nothing happens. You are just told to self isolate and people you live with too. Not enforced of course and there is no infrastructure yet in place to do any more than that

An absolute joke and for those who missed Newsnight last night, worth watching the testimony of the pregnant Filipino nurse who still doesn't have PPE and is also worried about her Visa

What a shithole country this is

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If you are correct, wouldn't this be totally unethical? And not only that, but a deliberate attempt to skew the stats? 

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Yes, I have now more or less given up on my beach holiday to Friuli in July. Even in the unlikely event of Italian authorities welcoming foreign tourists, I expect that we would be forced to self isolate for a fortnight on our return. I will pencil it in for 2021 instead and will appreciate it all the more. 

So what are the chances of us being allowed to take the car over to England in August? The last few years, we have visited a part of England where totally coincidentally Millwall have had an away match 😉. I put my chances of going to England and getting to a 'Wall match in August at 50/50 at this stage. 

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The data on excess deaths we have so far for England & Wales show huge regional variations with the biggest relative increases in areas with high official covid infections and deaths. This clearly points towards most of the excess mortality caused by CV19. If it was heart attacks etc, then there would be less regional variation (on the increases of the excess mortality).

Again the same method is used to quantify deaths caused by flu every year.

The latest NHS England/ONS deaths by actual days chart for Friday - a continuing decline in the NHS figures and one of the lowest daily reported figures on a weekday. (open in new tab for full size)

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 Boris Johnson faces court battle as businessman Simon Dolan argues lockdown is ILLEGAL

Quote

 

BORIS JOHNSON is facing a legal challenge over the Government's decision to impose the UK-wide coronavirus lockdown. A wealthy businessman has launched the legal bid, claiming the coronavirus lockdown will kill more people than it saves. Simon Dolan, whose Jota Aviation company has been delivering personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS, is seeking a judicial review over the Government's emergency measures that he claims restrict people's personal liberty.

His legal challenge mirrors the action taken by Gina Miller over Brexit, on the grounds that the lockdown was both legally defective and disproportionate in law. Accusing the Government of "paralysing the country" and causing "long term damage",  he is calling on Boris Johnson to relax the current lockdown restrictions and introduce three key changes to allow the economy to recover. This includes permitting gatherings of up to 100 people, reopening schools and reviewing the lockdown restrictions every two weeks. Mr Dolan's lawyers have sent a 'Letter Before Action' to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, giving him until Thursday May 7 to respond.

Lawyers seek to challenge the Government on three main points.

Firstly, whether the lockdown is unlawful because the Government implemented regulations under the Public Health Act 1984 instead of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 or the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Secondly over the legality of the continuation of lockdown regulation, and whether the tests are too narrow - failing to take account of the economic and social impacts of lockdown.

The final challenge will evaluate if the restrictions contravene the European Convention of Human Rights, which cover the right to liberty, family life, education and property.

As part of the application, Mr Dolan is also requesting the minutes of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) meetings this year.

 

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1276697/Boris-johnson-coronavirus-lockdown-illegal-court-judicial-review-simon-dolan?fbclid=IwAR3neXufC8Ajv2cAWA2-pUKy9xVh9u0W_jRprZ28TnOnRD8Sh9gp9rwxWiA

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I would also say yes quite a few old people are in a staged heart failure process with covid being the final nail

 

They did on BBC News 24 earlier this week. A brilliant immunologist and a molecular biologist. As you intimated, much better.

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