Does anyone find sobbing nurses etc in The News every night, in any way helpful?

[Miljea]

.... or does this footage rapidly lose its impact?

I sort of feel 'Yes, we know, and if the first months of footage failed to shock and awe, this won't!'. If anything, all it does is to numb people.

Ditto the non-contextualised rolling statistics.

Do you think it's an actual strategy, to bombard us with this? If it is, I fear it's not working.

FTR I'm coalface, Covid facing, full PPE NHS, tho not ICU.

But I have got up and personal with Covid that is killing people. Including in ICU.

But I don't think the News' blanket slightly blurry footage of HCPs all kitted up going about their business, interspersed with interviews with sobbing nurses- really helps. I have even heard the 'for God's sake, it's their job' remarks (at the hairdressers, when they were briefly open, TV on).

That person was argued with by her mate, but I do wonder whether too much of this sort of coverage makes people weary of it.

My OH and I haven't watched the news or the briefings since this all started last March. We're intelligent people, we understand the danger if the virus and we're living our lives in a way that will hopefully protect us and others.

We have the radio on all day so hear the news headlines on the hour and if I want anymore information about something I hear then I look it up online. I don't need to be manipulated and upset by so-called journalism. What does that achieve?

99victoria that's my view too. I'm by far the most "covid compliant" person in our family.

My oh does switch on the news though.
I have to remember to get up and leave.

I'm torn because I can see something of what you're saying, in the way the reporter waited for the tears etc. But that's a well worn journalistic trope, and sometimes human emotion should be shown. If news were merely a dry, unemotional report, many people wouldn't be reached. It's a personality thing, I think - some will be reached by this, but not by endless graphs and Boris rambling on.

The other night they had a report on the man who had looked after Saffie at the MEN. It was similarly emotive. Should we not have such reports at all? I think it is important to bring some humanity into these things. They did the same with Grenfell, interviews with relatives etc. A lot of people want to see and know the reality for other humans, to empathise and understand. Many might have compassion fatigue but others don't.

I think that it really has been done to combat all the misinformation, the #filmyourhospital crap, and that actually needed to be done. I think a human face on these things can shift people's thinking. Maybe that is idealistic of me but I still have some faith in humanity, even after months of being told I don't matter because I'm ECV. My friend who works in a Covid ward is really pleased this is being done because she is so weary of the hoaxers, and wants people to see the reality.

Alternatively act like a grown up, watch it, learn and maybe understand why these restrictions are so necessary.

The point is (for the thousandth time) that most of us ARE acting like grown ups. We are holding down our own difficult jobs at home, juggling homeschooling and struggling with teens with shaky mental health, trying to meet deadlines and make sure there's something in the fridge for lunch without 'popping to the shops' too often because that's irresponsible. We're telling our kids we need to go out for a walk to get some fresh air, but no - we can't go to the park or drive to the woods, we need to walk around the block again. We're trying to support elderly relatives who need so much more than we can safely give them, and constantly striking a balance between what they want from us and what's safe and within the regulations. We're doing our best to plug the gaps left by services our SN kids relied on. Or we're dealing with redundancy and loss of income, loss of prospects, loss of hope because the sector we work in has been decimated and there's no hope of it recovering for years. Adjusting to a future we didn't forsee, aren't prepared for and don't want.

We KNOW why these restrictions are necessary. We know, which is why we're living this hopeless half life. We don't need to be made to feel like we - the great unwashed non-frontline workers - are the problem.

it's the "well-worn journalistic trope" that's the problem, not the staff.

a different journalistic take could be far more hard-hitting and we'd learn much more.

sometimes I feel the entire BBC is trying to outdo the Feargal Keen "Dawn" report from Ethiopia from 1984 - but gets diminishing returns because what it hard hitting when unknown is not hard hitting when the patterns are familiar.

No, its obviously part of the stay at home campaign and done to ramp up the fear

It has always been unethical and irresponsible to stick a camera and microphone in the face of a newly traumatised person them to get them to relive their trauma for viewing numbers (or propaganda).

It actually reduces the likelihood of that person recovering from the trauma, and increases the likelihood of them having to live with PTSD for the long term.

Which, if any of this was about caring about all the trauma being inflicted on patients, families, staff, and wider society would be at the forefront of decision-making.

Separately, there is a huge endeavour underway to ensure frontline staff receive mental health support and trauma treatment if needed. Where the fuck is the same effort and urgency and resources for all the patients and families?

It's a long-standing accepted fact that the poor way we design and deliver critical care (lack of natural light, no access to clocks to know if it's day or night, staff carrying out invasive care without explanation, environments so noisy rest is impossible, listening to people in pain and dying beside them...) that patients are almost inevitably left with PTSD that can utterly destroy the life that has supposedly been "saved" .

Where is all the weeping and wailing about the avoidable trauma being inflicted on patients? Where is the mobilisation of resources to support all these traumatised patients?

Where is the insight and compassion and humility from staff to acknowledge that the fear and helplessness staff are suddenly experiencing is a tiny fraction of what they subject their patients to every day? And that it should be addressed?

None of us have been doing any sobbing we just get on with it. Personally I feel lucky to have a job, a pension and not be in lockdown because I have to go to work.
A lot of my colleagues are my personal friends so we all support each other and keep going.
I'd be more likely to be curled up in a foetal position sobbing if I was at home day in and day out on my own.

@Billie18

The BBC news item last night only gave limited information about just 2 patients. One was in their "mid twenties" and the other was 28. If I did not know that serious illness from coronavirus is rare in this age group then I would have come away from watching this item believing that coronavirus was a bigger danger to young people than it is.

Selective reporting without context can add up to misinformation. I find it difficult to believe that this was accidental. Were the two young patients who were seriously ill being exploited to scare people?

Exactly, I thought this and mentioned it to DH who agreed.

No, I don't watch the news now either. My local newspaper is a far better source of national news, and I've also taken to reading a foreign language newspaoer online to find out what's happening in the rest of the world (I used to live there so am proficient in the language), since it's really hard to find out in Britain.

I kniw what's going on, I follow the rules. I dont need bombarding with the wallowing in misery fest that the news has become. It's too much propoganda for me, and the tone is now so patronising, it feels like it's aimed at schoolchildren. Terrestrial TV news is no longer the news, it's a documentary style public health broadcast to instruct people. Day after day. "feel miserable but think yourself lucky".

But @user1174147897 these reports do show patients suffering, that's a part of it, and do show staff upset for that suffering. I agree that more will need to be done for PTSD in patients, for coping with what has been done, the sheer brutality of it. I think these reports show something of that.

Even the radio is like listening to one long public health announcement.

I sometimes feel like I'm living in a totalitarian state.

'Of course, it's upsetting. But we need to be reminded of just how serious this situation is. Lots of us complain and moan about the inconvenience, but it is nothing compared to the situation in our hospitals at the moment. We need a reminder to help us resolve to keep following the rules.'

Excafly. Vaccinations under way and infection rates falling thanks to restrictions nothing else. Yet already we have people demanding 'road maps' out when it is still a crisis situation in hospitals.

I hope they continue to have icu reports so people realise it is and will continue to be a very serious issue for a while yet. Ram it down people's necks! it's the only thing some people take notice of.

Being shown the very very worst of one type of worst case scenario night after night is not helpful to me, no.

There are other consequences from Covid and from lockdown, and being shown the centre of the storm in the ICUs doesn't help anyone figure out their own risk or the population risk, it just spreads fear and yes, compassion fatigue.

Do you, as the viewer, feel a growing sense of empathy, of sympathy at every single new News report 'Inside St Covid's, Exclusive Access'?
Or ... not so much. After months of it

Yes, I've always had empahy and respect for our countless hardworking HCPs, as well as remembering the few who should never have been allowed near a patient in the first place, so the media scaremongering makes no difference at all and is switched off

I won't be joining in the ridiculous "clapping" though - what's the point in senseless virtue signalling when they can't even see me, and why not just thank them sincerely and personally when we actually see them?

I think the poster that mentioned compassion fatigue is right. I find these reports go over my head. We have seen them for months, we follow all the rules but nothing is changing.

Our dd is a medically fragile child who could die at any minute of any day or night. I know this. I kiss her goodbye every time we leave her. But you do not think about it all the time because you have to compartmentalize things.
That is how I am with covid now.

I follow the rules but I feel fatigued by it all.

I would like to see the news report on this but also the impact covid has had on disabled people, the homeless, the disadvantaged people and people with serious and terminal conditions. Maybe that would impact on the rule breakers more??

Also I think as a country we shouldn't feel sad we should get angry with the government for the handling of this situation and the NHS

@Madhairday

Thing is, if they don't report it people scream about how it's all lies and hospitals are empty. Many doctors have asked the BBC and others to do this because they are so fed up to the back teeth of people denying and minimising. Yet when the media do it they are accused of scaremongering. They can't win.

Scaremongering is spreading fear built on false premises; this is not that. This is reporting news. Yes, it is showing people's strain and emotions, but I think it's actually important to humanise what is happening so people can see the terrible cost for the NHS and patients. I think it's important that these things do get reported. Dry daily briefings with lots of tedious slides do not convince some people of the need to take this seriously: this just might, and might save a few lives and ease the strain on the NHS.

Absolutely agree. It is not media manipulation, it is reporting.

And if you are not moved by experienced consultants, doctors and nurses breaking down then shame on you.

@GreenlandTheMovie
To be fair, Channel 4 News does cover these types of issues reasonably well

To be fair, Channel 4 News does cover these types of issues reasonably well

I see someone else watches it too

Also worth remembering that the BBC is effectively funded via tax and can therefore be leaned on by those who control the taxes (however much they try to pretend otherwise) ... the result being that we're often hearing a government mouthpiece rather than an independent news provider

[quote Oneearringlost]@GreenlandTheMovie
To be fair, Channel 4 News does cover these types of issues reasonably well[/quote]
I'll give it a go. I've actually pretty much given up watching terrestrial TV in favour of Netflix. I do like to find out what's going on in other countries (not just the ones picked out by the BBC to support the usyal narrative)., and also the other people affected by covid and the lockdown, not just covid patients themdeoves
Sad though that is. This really isn't being shown on itv and BBC at all.

My main problem with any news reports on the NHS response to covid is that there is zero acknowledgement of staff in any other roles other than "dr and nurse heros"

Agreed its not helpful but mainstream media always the same they need a dramatic angle.

This sounds bad but once I seen one elderly person had jab I don't need to see numerous elderly people vaccinated daily on the news.
From privacy point if view surprise so many elderly people agreed and don't want a quiet and peaceful vaccination.

Firstly, agreed.

What annoys me is the motivation behind it.
Sales, viewers, clicks, etc.
I do not for one second believe most of those shoving it all aggressively and incessantly into our faces actually give a shiny shit about anybody but themselves.

@BeforetheFlood

Alternatively act like a grown up, watch it, learn and maybe understand why these restrictions are so necessary.

The point is (for the thousandth time) that most of us ARE acting like grown ups. We are holding down our own difficult jobs at home, juggling homeschooling and struggling with teens with shaky mental health, trying to meet deadlines and make sure there's something in the fridge for lunch without 'popping to the shops' too often because that's irresponsible. We're telling our kids we need to go out for a walk to get some fresh air, but no - we can't go to the park or drive to the woods, we need to walk around the block again. We're trying to support elderly relatives who need so much more than we can safely give them, and constantly striking a balance between what they want from us and what's safe and within the regulations. We're doing our best to plug the gaps left by services our SN kids relied on. Or we're dealing with redundancy and loss of income, loss of prospects, loss of hope because the sector we work in has been decimated and there's no hope of it recovering for years. Adjusting to a future we didn't forsee, aren't prepared for and don't want.

We KNOW why these restrictions are necessary. We know, which is why we're living this hopeless half life. We don't need to be made to feel like we - the great unwashed non-frontline workers - are the problem.

Totally agree couldn't have said it better. We all juggling at home.

I think it’s helpful, actually, because the covidiots who have been sharing vids of “empty” hospitals have finally gone quiet on a couple of WhatsApp groups.