I’m sick of Covid
It’s time for another Covid Rant 🙂

I posted on social media this morning, expressing my opinion that:
“I believe some governments are mishandling the Covid19 pandemic response and blowing it out of all proportion! The minimal effect of Covid19 on the world’s population (with a 99%+ survival rate) makes this a pandemic with a small ‘p’. While Politicians stick to their initial predictions of millions dying on the streets, football fields filled with bodies, and the sky falling on our heads if we don’t wear a facemask — I would prefer to listen to Doctors and Epidemiologists for my medical advice (especially when those same Politicians might stand to make $squillions from big pharma for promoting any antiviral drugs).”
“Hmmm, I wonder if my friends will think this is controversial” I thought
“Could spark a lively debate” I thought
You see, I’m lucky to have friends with a spectrum of religious, political and even scientific beliefs.
I posted it, then got flagged by a FAKE NEWS warning on facebook!
In a fit of angry pique, I deleted it. Bugger! Should have got a screenshot before I did that. 🙁
Then I posted this:

and it is deemed perfectly valid. LOL.
I was joking about the facemasks but I honestly think these lockdowns are nonsense.
Don’t Panic!!
The mortality count of people dying directly because of Covid19 is simply nowhere near the dramatic numbers that mainstream media is reporting.
Dying with something is entirely different to dying because of something.
Even the media has given up on talking about deaths, and now spreads the scaremongering covid-coaster of “numbers infected” as if this is something to be scared of?

More corona positive people is good news
Increased +ve people is an indication of stepping towards social immunity (aka herd immunity) and results of millions of new tests finding people that have been +ve for months.
Government Lockdown does not service its purpose
As an ex-pat I watch England closely – the politicians are enforcing locking down again! Protests are exploding nationwide.
These National lockdowns stand against advice from a huge swathe of medical and viral experts.
Medicial Scientists say:
Great Barrington Declaration: “Schools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities, such as sports, should be resumed. Young low-risk adults should work normally, rather than from home. Restaurants and other businesses should open.”
The lockdowns of society and the cold stop of the world’s economy in the face of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents a huge mistake, argue some prestigious scientists in the world of epidemiology. The Great Barrington Declaration, released by scientists who argue that most of us should return to our pre-COVID ways of life, has generated a lot of attention and controversy.
The declaration is spearheaded by some heavy hitters in the scientific community including Martin Kulldorff, PhD, an epidemiologist at Harvard University, Sunetra Gupta, PhD, an epidemiologist at Oxford University, and Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, a public health policy expert and a professor at Stanford University.
One of the arguments put forth by the three and about 35 cosigners amounts to saying that the cure has been worse than the disease for society as a whole.
“Coming from both the left and right, and around the world, we have devoted our careers to protecting people,” the declaration states. “Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health. The results (to name a few) include lower childhood vaccination rates, worsening cardiovascular disease outcomes, fewer cancer screenings and deteriorating mental health—leading to greater excess mortality in years to come, with the working class and younger members of society carrying the heaviest burden. Keeping students out of school is a grave injustice.”
The cosigners represent a host of scientific disciplines such as public health, biostatistics, finance, and psychiatry. They include Michael Levitt, PhD, (who received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2013), Jonas Ludvigsson, MD, Angus Dalgleish, PhD, David Katz, PhD, and Mike Hulme, PhD.
The declaration states that growing knowledge about COVID-19 includes the facts that older and infirmed people have a “thousand-fold” higher increase of dying from it than the young. “Indeed, for children, COVID-19 is less dangerous than many other harms, including influenza,” the declaration states.
Source: Infection Control Today
Covid Mortality is very very very low
While England faces yet another Government *covid* lockdown.. the epidemiologists of Oxford’s Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine clearly show there is nothing to panic about. Covid19 deaths peaked back in April and then have returned to seasonal averages.
Look at this graph of wear Covid stands right now – November – it’s average. Just like previous 5 years. a Seasonal flu average.
The peak Covid was in April when it first hit before anyone was aware and using standard extra hygiene rules and social distancing. Peaking at 20k while previous years 15k was seen as normal for winter’s seasonal viruses.

When time-series data is plotted as a normal x-y plot with the time variable along the x-axis it is difficult to identify seasonality or other factors that may influence the data.
Florence Nightingale used a form of radial plots to display data from the Crimean War that demonstrated the death rate amongst soldiers could be reduced by better hygiene practices.
Plotting the weekly numbers of deaths using this radial form demonstrates the variability during the first months of the year – For example, deaths from “Aussie flu” in the first weeks of 2018 can be observed.
Boffins who actually know what they are talking about
Currently, the UK is only slightly over the annual average for Flu & Pneumonia seasonal mortality rates.
Clearly nothing to panic about – hospitals run at 80%+ capacity every winter and have done so for decades.
But once again, politicians are taking the authoritarian route once again “you lot need to lock yourselves in your houses… (while we socialize and spend weekends on our Yachts and Vacation homes)”.
Strangely the Media are NOT asking “Why hasn’t the government rapidly deployed thousands of new hospital beds over the last 6 months?”
The deaths caused by the lockdown of the economy, families unable to support themselves, small business collapsing, suicide and depression running wild, old folks spending the final day alone unable to visit with their loved ones.. this lockdown madness must end now!

Sadly, speaking with some friends who are now in the eight month of lockdown they express many of the downsides – depression, weight gain and general bad health from such a long period of sedentary life.
I’m lucky – I enjoy being sedentary
Weight gain and general bad health is the norm 🙂
Gyms are closed while junk food restaurants are open – WTF?
This lockdown is bollocks and doesn’t fit its purpose. I wish people would isolate and take extra precautions if they are at risk or potentially infected. That’s it. The rest of us need to open up our societies and live this new normal.
Oh well, I’m going to stop waffling now.
I’m getting in my car, taking the roof down, getting some fresh air, while driving to see a friend, to go to the pub and drink a beer.
Alcohol kills germs right?