Complaint
A reader of this online article by the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s Health and Science Correspondent complained that the passage “Cases of Covid have been climbing except for a lull over the October half-term.Ìý They are averaging at more than 40,000 a day and the R number - the average number of people each infected person passes the virus on to - is just above the crucial threshold of one, which means cases are growing†was inaccurate, in that published statistics did not provide evidence of a half-term lull and that cases at the time of publication were not climbing but (in the words of the Chief Medical Officer) were “broadly flatâ€.
Outcome
According to the Government’s Covid-19 dashboard, the 7-day moving average on 18 October was recorded at 47,463 daily cases. ÌýThe figure gradually fell after that date, going as low as 34,296 on 5 November before rising back into the 40,000s from 12 November. ÌýIn the ECU’s view this was consistent with the reference to “a lull over the October half-termâ€, half-term for most schools being in the week beginning 25 October.Ìý However, the passage complained of gave the impression that the figure at the time of publication represented a rising trend overall, whereas the number of cases was slightly lower than before the half-term period.Ìý The ECU agreed that this was less than duly accurate.
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Partly upheld
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Further action
The passage was amended to read “Cases of Covid were on the rise in the first half of October. Half-term caused a dip, before cases started to rise again."Ìý The finding was reported to the Board of Â鶹ԼÅÄ News and discussed with the Health and Science Correspondent.