Do you think reporting is being restricted?

[jellybeanteaparty]

I have noticed that the news and reporting is quite different from lots of news stories. No footage of outside hospital's, no interviews with relatives or people with the virus or the medics. Initially there was some but now they only seem to show scenes in other countries. Is this by agreement with all news agencies? It feels odd compared to the usual circus! Not sure I mind just curious if others have noticed.

Then there were early reports that the virus crosses the blood brain barrier & a lot of people in Wuhan were having seizures

Yes - there is a report out on the neurology of COVID-19. Neurological symptoms are common.

They are not testing people to see if they have it unless they are in hospital nevermind afterwards so permanent lung damage is not on their agenda. HCPs are simply too busy dealing with current symptoms.

of course they are playing it down and not using daily mail style scare tactics, on BBC etc. This makes sense and I'm grateful for it, the last thing we need in this country is more panic and despair. The consequences could be dire otherwise, with suicides, lootings and god knows what else. I do keep getting this horrible feeling that the governments are worried for the future of the human race though.. to be taking this much drastic action...so so scary.

We only have six confirmed cases in our local hospital, however it’s an open secret that there are closer to 20. We’ve had one death of someone who was elderly with the obligatory ‘under lying health condition’.

I work in schools on supply. Last week some of the TAs were downplaying it all and the head, practically in tears said ‘it’s really, really serious and it’s going to get much worse before it gets better’.

BTW, to the person who asked about The Queen and Prince Charles I’m assuming both are in isolation due to their ages.

The government are minimising it because they want most people to get it.

And no my comment in last page was not withdrawn at my request. That is a lie. It was deleted.

I find it very strange that a lot of countries left it so late to do anything about it, they let it get this far imo. Equally strange is the lack of accountability for this, it feels like (from what I've seen) the media is not doing enough to put pressure on the govt & they should have done this long ago. Look at the questions they ask in the briefings! Multiple reporters don't need to ask the same shit about enforced lock downs because then you just get Bozo etc repeating themselves wasting time. No one asking about food banks etc. It's crazy.

Too many warnings have been dismissed as scaremongering.

Alloutoffucks what was the comment?

No one is asking because of reporting restrictions. Obvious questions that any decent journalist would ask are not being asked.
I suspect they are being told to emphasise underlying health conditions.
The truth is a lot of people are getting fed up hearing that because they know people are dying that should not be dying.

@mumtumdocare Sadly I can't remember. Been wracking my brains about it.

The only journalist who seems to be questioning anything is Piers Morgan, but because of his previous behaviour no one is taking him seriously!

Sadly I think most people in Britain will get this. And we will have the higher number of deaths per head per population.
And people will only start realising that when the bodies start stacking up. We will get a lock down then, but it will be far too late to make any real difference.

I don't know if journals are being restricted in their reporting but I'm amazed that you stated
"but no interviews with relatives or people with the virus". It would be totally irresponsible to interview people with the virus so I'm glad they aren't.
Maybe journalists understand the importance of the situation and are being responsible on this occasion?

Why would it be irresponsible to interview people with corona? We are not talking about interviews at intensive care beds you know. But interviews with people over the phone at home are perfectly reasonable.

This issue of press restrictions has been talked about in various places online and lots of people can see it is very likely to be the case.

@nellygrace

I have thought what you're thinking and while I wouldn't put it past various governments (including our own) capitalising on this situation to further their own ends Covid-19 is real, this crisis is real. My cousin works in an NHS lab in London processing the CV19 tests and is seeing increasing positives daily.

@nellygrace

Further to my last post in times of extreme stress and uncertainty it is actually psychologically comforting to believe in conspiracy theories and to feel that things are planned and controlled by someone that to actually acknowledge the reality of the chaos and precarious nature of our existence.

Reading some of the batshit (pardon the pun) crazy conspiracy theories going around on social media at the moment. I think there should be health advice vans going around the streets with loud PA systems announcing...
"Please step away from the bucket bongs now!"
"Please step away from the bucket bongs now!"
"Please step away from the bucket bongs now!".....

Yep ridiculing is a tactic.
I am not a fan of conspiracy theories. No one has manufactured this virus. This is a pandemic that was going to happen at some point.

But government's do introduce press restrictions at times of national emergency. There is proof this has happened before in the UK, and all the evidence show it has happened again.

This crises is real. Agree that governments can use crises for their own ends, but some of the things the government are introducing make sense. The key is making sure they do not remain after this crises goes. So things like legislation around class sizes.

In another topic some misguided person was actually calling for a "coup" the other day.

People should be free to say whatever they like, within the law, but we really do not need any talk of wild conspirace theories or insurrection do we?

Seriously. Some people need to get a grip and think about what they're saying and their responsibility toward the wider community

Yep ridiculing is a tactic

But most of it is ridiculous or do you want my freedom to ridicule to be restricted?

Calling for a coup is batshit crazy. You will always get stuff like that on social media.

But the government are minimising and more people than need to will die. So no criticising that is not irresponsible.

@Flaxmeadow Ridicule as much as you want. We can still see that the press are being restricted. Al the evidence points to that.
Sure why that is happening is supposition and people may be wrong about their ideas of why it is happening. But it is clear it is happening

...and I will say this. The people I know who tend to spout conspiracy theory drivel, in the past and now, are usually pot heads

A dear friend of mine, whose vulnerable and prone to mental health problems, has neighbours who smoke weed all day long and they spent hours last week preaching conspiracy theory at her. She was genuinely frightened and it took me hours long phones calls to calm her down

Dont need it