Jingsamichty

Incidentally, I notice that the official UK figures quoted for Covid deaths is now 42,001. Yet, way back in June, the BMJ confirmed that 49,607 people in England & Wales alone had Covid on their death certificate. Add in (say) another 10% for Scotland & NI, and you're at 55,000 Covid deaths in June.

But the official policy now is to count only deaths within 28 days of diagnosis of Covid. Meaning that, for example, if Kate Garraway's husband were to die now, it would not be recorded as a Covid death, despite the fact he's been in a coma for 6 months following Covid infection.

When the government has such a bad reputation for lying, disinformation and mendacity, it's really hard to treat their statistics and guidance seriously.

caretaker

When this started they didn't know that for some people, the first indication of covid-19 infection was having a stroke, so they weren't testing people who died from strokes for the disease. Statistics are updated as more information becomes available; doesn't mean that all incorrect statistics are necessarily lies.

Danny B

I'm pretty sure Printer was referring to the evidence on the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities and nothing sinister. I recall saying something similar when the BLM protests were taking place across the USA with no face masks or social distancing.

Jingsamichty

I don't think so... he was referring to the police "trying to arrest and fine hundreds of drunk revellers and god forbid if some of them happen to be ethnic minorities." Nothing to do with the effects of COVID on certain ethnicities.

mrken30

This is the problem with paying careworkers minimum wage with little sick time coverage. There must have been a reason for going into work ill.

Siouxie

Not good news for people like me .. with a history of it.

scrubbedexpat091

Health Care aides no doubt don't make enough for what they are expected to do, depending on employer anywhere from $16 to $22 per hour and usually casual employment so the employer doesn't have to pay benefits. Paramedics as well are really underpaid and under appreciated.

This particular case in the article though was a nurse, and they are paid well in BC.

Nursing is a lucrative career in BC.

Danny B

I wonder if they come close to Fire Fighters?

Here in Kamloops they make over $100k

Siouxie

Once they get to their 4th year.. before that it's under $100k

Danny B

I think it's good that the emergency services get paid so well over here. It's a tough job.

scrubbedexpat091

Just don't become a paramedic, takes a fairly long time to get a permanent full-time position in a big city, gotta spend a lot of time on call and ready to respond for fairly low pay.

BC Paramedics Paid Less Than Minimum Wage

I was doing paramedic training in California before coming to BC, I was doing pretty well, but moved to Canada before finishing, looked into it here, but the on call aspect put me off, couldn't afford to be on call in a small town not knowing how much income would be made month to month.

printer

And your problem with this is?

Jingsamichty

If a crowd of people are drunk and not following social distancing rules, why do you think that the ethnicity of some of them is a factor for the police to consider?

Stumpylegs

doesn't mention hours etc. I don't think its an unfair wage compared to what you can make in the trades (typically a similar demographic applying for the roles) - going to guess most firefighters aren't lacking in courage, drive etc and pride themselves on doing the right thing not the easy thing - typically i like to think those people get quite far in life, regardless of their decision to be a firefighter or not.


Its within 28 days of a positive COVID test - so if Mr Garraway has had a reswab to check whether he is still testing positive, he would be counted, I don't fully blame the government around the whole thing as the problem is we don't know the long term health complications for non lethal COVID cases this coupled with the very low number of deaths with no other illnesses, and I'm unsure whether COVID is worth worrying about or not.

on the one hand COVID contributed to their death, but likewise how many were terminally ill, or died not due to COVID but had a positive test - you also question the harm to mental and physical health that the lockdown and continuing restrictions have caused. Aside from the whole mental wellbeing, decline in health due to social interaction, and missed routine medical appointments, personally i put on over 15kg in lockdown, I'm still carrying 10kg of it now - restrictions on dog walking, the inability to travel for exercise, gyms being shut and boredom led to rapid weight gain - for me it'll be back off by Christmas if things stay open, but others may have gained that weight for good.

Pulaski

The police need to know whether to deploy their kid gloves.