Scaremongering threads about children - RCPCH have responded to worrying Twitter claims

[NaughtipussMaximus]

The RCPCH have responded to reassure parents and refute the claims on twitter and elsewhere about increased numbers of children with serious covid19 in ICUs. Please, if you’re worried about your children, read this and feel better. And if you’re one of the ones perpetuating unsubstantiated reports to further an agenda, please get in the sea.

www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-events/news/rcpch-responds-media-reports-increased-admissions-children-young-people-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0To78ci_Ra9CXHCAV3pM91MO31zfcpmMlcfxi9-ozdtwPu9n9xE54dPc4

She’ll be sacked!

It's appalling that the quote from the nurse got so much traction in the media without fact checking.

I've always thought that free press is essential but having seen how they have behaved during this pandemic, opting for the most sensational headlines, I'm not so convinced.

The scaremongering is utterly disgraceful. Never mind covid, we are sleepwalking into a sustained period of mental health problems for the entire country. Shocking.

Those quotes are reassuring. Crazy how one comment from one person can cause so much worry!

Thanks for sharing this - there's far too much of these scaremongering lies being shared around, or people failing to put things into context of what is normal for this time of year.

I hope she will be at least spoken to, it was very irresponsible. Both of the nurse and of the media and even of posters on here, to terrify parents like that without getting the full facts. I was relieved when MNHQ took the first thread down quickly.

There’s so much disinformation the last couple of days and about the vaccine too. But try and challenge it and you get accused of bullying.
Anyway glad that particular thread was taken down and that nurse should be reprimanded.

I read it and checked the NMC register as it just seemed bizarre. She was on it but what she said did not make sense at all. She will be suspended whilst investigated. Career over for breach of contract. Interestingly her trust have not commented on the link posted by OP.

And if you’re one of the ones perpetuating unsubstantiated reports to further an agenda, please get in the sea.

Amen to that.

"Its a cover up" in 5... 4... 3...

I hope she’s sacked

Amen to that.

Absolutely

@Indecisive12

She’ll be sacked!

She’s being used as a scapegoat

What I meant actually is she’s being set up to be a scapegoat

Yes such irresponsible reporting!

It’s shocking, there seems a lot of people at either end of the spectrum on Covid. Making things up to scare people or shouting out that it’s all made up. It is ok to be in the middle ground - worried, following the rules and just getting through each day as comes. I’ll be flamed next for being Inconsiderate and causing deaths.

How is she a scapegoat

It was an excellent and timely intervention from the RCPCH. The traction gained by and given to that interview and tweet and the paranoia it triggered and fuelled was colossal in 24 hours. I’m very pleased to see this formal clarification. I say this as the mother of a 5 year old and an 11 month old. They are both due to go in to reception and nursery on Monday.

Thanks for this

@CoffeeCreamandSugar how? The information she was trying to use to scare people was not relevant. The numbers of people requiring ICU for example were actually ridiculously low for the hospitals I’ve worked at (both adult and paeds), staffing ratios on wards is what is has been for 15 years. Not great no but not due to Covid. The only thing I can’t dispute is the ward full of Covid children, which others have now disputed and the number I looked into last night did not add up. So no she won’t be used as a scapegoat, her professionalism for misleading will be brought into question. Her social media also should not be using her role as matron as authority, there’s a standard ‘all views are my own’ line and NMC standards for social media use.

@CoffeeCreamandSugar

What I meant actually is she’s being set up to be a scapegoat

How do you work that out!? It’s not scapegoating to reprimand someone who has been caught abusing their position to spread dangerous and alarming misinformation in the middle of a pandemic.

Unfortunately if she was massively exaggerating she's lost all credibility.

She had made statements to the press before back in march I think.

I'm glad the doctors came out to dispel fears but one said. Yes there is a rise but that's in line with rising figures, that doesn't reassure me.

Also in the hierarchy chain, people who spend the most time with people are often afraid to speak out.
It makes the managers look bad.

The problem when activists or people with extreme political agendas get involved they just turn everyone off and discredit everything.
Owen has started to wade in and it's cringeful

Greater numbers of children with Covid due to the new variant will result in increased admissions to some extent and the NHS is loudly warning that it's not equipped. Let's not kid ourselves.

It's appalling that the quote from the nurse got so much traction in the media without fact checking

Appalling perhaps, but predictable - and before we blame "everywhere else" let's not forget the carry-on here, with folk instantly going from 0 to 100, PBPs piling in and several scaremongering threads deleted

On another note, does anyone know if it's possible "the matron's" Twitter was hacked and that the comments might not have been hers at all?
Not using it I don't know how these things work, but thought someone else might?

It sounded logical in my head at the time but ridiculous written down to be honest. I apologise. I’ve thought about it.

Having worked previously in the NHS I haven’t met many nurses who would make those statements without being concerned, or having proof. Whistle blowing. I am obviously lucky (and in hindsight) my comment was purely fuelled by my own experience with nurses.

If I could delete my post I would!