Thread by @karamballes

1/🧵Government, PHE and the Media
Where is the science on schools policy? (AGAIN!)

Politics is about controlling the narrative,and this weekend shows many examples of how government does this facilitated by pliant media sources

It begins with suppressing and manipulating data.

2/ We know PHE have data on B1.617.2 cases in education settings, been asking for this for weeks, before masks were removed from classrooms. It was suspicious they wouldn't provide the data before that decision.

Still waiting, release has been blocked

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1396196828648034305?s=19

3/ That was the data that wasn't released, the whole weekend was a media circus with the way the days data was released.

B1.617.2 spread and infectiousness
Vaccine efficiency

Pre briefings early in the day arent as rosy as the data released at 10:30m

https://twitter.com/dgurdasani1/status/1396373990986375171?s=19

4/ Government set the message and the press ran with it during Saturday, the narrative was set, but whats worrying is how most the media haven't changed course once the PHE report came out.

https://twitter.com/carolecadwalla/status/1396355859496718341?s=19

5/ Headlines today:
BBC and Royal family
"Vaccine just as effective against B1.617.2"
"Roadmap still on course"

Most don't mention missing school data, spread of B1.617.2 across the country, or that while 2 doses are good 1 requires more caution.

https://twitter.com/Zubhaque/status/1396514015740928007?s=19

6/ Its dangerous to fail to release information, particularly if this is impacting policy.

https://twitter.com/dgurdasani1/status/1396401646595452928?s=19

7/ Later on during Sunday I have started hearing more talk about 1 dose effectiveness, however I'm hearing the debate framed incorrectly.
It begins with "we can't have another lockdown" and "doom-mongers" (a troll phrase going mainstream) "learn to live with it now" etc

8/ Before debate even begins its been framed incorrectly with opening statement/question.

No one is calling for lockdowns now, but this assumption is constantly made of those asking for caution and better outbreak response

9/ Few in the media seem to care whats written in the SAGE papers anymore, the government's interpretation of the science is generally too easily accepted.

RW media don't care about releates real data suppression, but they will flirt with skeptic conspiracy theories instead.

10/ You can almost here the groans from some presenters/pundits when SAGE or Independent SAGE is quoted.

The effect of the drip drip of the "who needs experts" attitude is rampant now

(Sorry for multiple typos)
Those seeking data and clarification seem to be getting labelled as trouble makers.

I guess some of us didn't get the memo that went out that only positivity is allowed now.

https://twitter.com/chrischirp/status/1396428230765260801?s=19