Better treatments for CV 19

As a non medic with a site which does not give medical advice, I have been asking questions of our doctors and scientists about the scope for better treatments for those who have caught CV 19, and for anything which people can take which might reduce their chances of getting a bad version of the disease.

I am glad to report more progress in the UK on how to handle this virus. The NHS now says that taking Vitamin D supplements over the winter may be helpful . It has announced free Vitamin D supplies to those on the at risk register for the pandemic. They will have received letters advising them to be careful. They can apply for Vitamin D supplements on the NHS. This vitamin I read can buttress the immune system needed to fight off infection.

Some time ago the UK made an important breakthrough, identifying some corticosteroids as a suitable hospital or prescription treatment for those with the infection. In an important minority of cases it speeded recovery and lessened the impact of the disease.

This week the NHS has also confirmed trials saying that Tocilizumat, an anti rheumatoid arthritis drug commonly available in hospitals can also reduce the time the disease lasts in a patient and reduces the severity. Other anti rheumatoids may have similar properties. This again increases the armoury of doctors fighting the worst cases of the disease and gives hope that more will survive.

The UK has not found chloroquine to live up to early expectations of some that it could cut the death rate. Regeneron has been given an emergency licence in the USA for doctors to use in a limited number of circumstances. Some overseas doctors recommend Ivermectin which is said to reduce the death rate. We await more news of the UK testing of this medicine.

It is good news that trial work is continuing and some of the drugs tried can help reduce the time people spend in hospital before recovering and can help cut the death rate. I will continue to press Ministers to encourage this important work.

201 Comments

  1. Lifelogic
    January 10, 2021

    Any better treatments are clearly very good news. Taking vitamin D seems sensible, very cheap and has other significant benefits anyway, especially in winter. Also lose weight if you are overweight as most people do seem to be nowadays. Especially if the weight is round the middle then check your fasting blood glucose levels – a meter costs under ÂŁ20. If high google Prof. Roy Taylor or buy his excellent book. Being male nearly doubles your risk from Covid, but the government for some idiotic reason (or just gross incompetence) has decided to kill more people (and put more pressure on the NHS) by not vaccinating men at an earlier age than women.

    On the positive side excess deaths for the last six month of 2020 for England and Wales (this is after the March to May large bulge) are up just 7% up on the last five year. Given the population is higher now and the last five years were fairly low historically anyway and that the state monopoly NHS has been under stress and has cancelled much vital normal activity this is really nothing at all to be very concerned about anyway.

    A finger oximeter can also be bought for under ÂŁ20 which is helpful to show severity with your blood oxygen levels should you catch it. All my daughters flat (6 people at uni) had covid and non even had significant symptoms. They were only tested as they were contacted and asked to test.

    1. Nig l
      January 10, 2021

      Again zero political antennae. Do you really think any government would even try to prefer men over women?

      1. G Wheatley
        January 10, 2021

        Nig 1 – Check the published data on both the NHS / PHE / .GOV websites …… they do seem to show higher rates for males than females for the same age bracket.

        Maybe the data is false then?

      2. Peter from Leeds
        January 10, 2021

        Government adverts are currently specifically asking MEN who have had Covid to donate blood plasma.

        1. Lifelogic
          January 10, 2021

          Indeed as they are more likely to have suffered badly and have developed more antibodies. But the JCVI do not seem to have sussed this?

      3. Martin in Cardiff
        January 10, 2021

        Zero legal and moral antennas too.

    2. London Nick
      January 10, 2021

      It is obviously true that a government that was genuinely “following the science” – and that was fair and even-handed in its approach – would prioritise men. The science is clear: they are more vulnerable to this infection.
      But we do not have a fair, sensible and logical government – we have an extreme feminist government of misandrists and social-marxists. What other explanation can there be for men not being prioritised? If there is another explanation then do please tell me, ’cause I haven’t heard it. And given the government’s hatred and contempt for men, why on earth would I (a man) be stupid enough to vote for them?

      1. Lifelogic
        January 10, 2021

        +1

  2. Par
    January 10, 2021

    Sir John,

    We need to look at improving medical support in the home, particularly portable oxygen supplementation and drug therapy.

    This is vital for the many people infected with Covid who have pre existing conditions such as compromised lung function. It will also greatly reduce hospital admissions.

    Thank you for your efforts.

    1. Norman
      January 10, 2021

      “We need to look at improving medical support in the home, particularly portable oxygen supplementation and drug therapy.” I agree. It used to be possible, when doctors did home visits and knew their patients. The modern risk-averse culture would probably dictate otherwise. However, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and if hospitals are overwhelmed, its better than leaving people without the basics (oxygen and medicines). I’d far rather be treated at home, in any case!
      Incidentally, the much lauded steroid treatment has been used by vets for some acute pneumonia cases in cattle for years, or wherever there’s an over-exuberant inflammatory reaction. It seems that clinical initiative is impeded by today’s unforgiving, accusatory culture, and thus we all lose out.

      1. Peter from Leeds
        January 10, 2021

        I did read that in some countries people are given an oximeter if they test positive. A recent death of a 36 year old who died at home in his sleep could have been avoided with one of these. It is well known that humans are not capable of detecting their own low oxygen in blood levels (happy hypoxia).

        Given the vast cost of this pandemic surely these devices could be issued (they are not expensive – and could be handed back too).

        1. Lifelogic
          January 10, 2021

          Oximeters are very cheap indeed or could even just be lent out for a few weeks.

    2. Pauline Baxter
      January 10, 2021

      Yes I think that is CPAP which some paramedics carry. Yes it could easily be installed in the home.
      Yes it would certainly help the extra vulnerable population.
      And YES it would save the NHS being overwhelmed during the Winter flu season.

  3. Ian Wragg
    January 10, 2021

    When is this going to end. We have irradicated the common cold, flu and pneumonia. The only game in town is Covid.
    It appears we are now ruled by a small clique of left wing academics who no one voted for.
    Parliament is neutered.
    There will be wipe out at the local elections.
    Why is the whole country suffering to rescue the NHS.

    1. Dr Jones
      January 10, 2021

      Only when the Government admits its made a huge, damaging mistake, which it never will. As lifelogic comments above, there was an initial bulge as the novel virus was introduced into society. It followed the standard curve and the pandemic effectively ended in the summer and became and endemic respiratory virus. It is now following the standard seasonal curve.
      So why the panic? The Government’s response has been to continue to have an unbalanced membership of SAGE made up of modellers and psychologists rather than shift their collective expertise to include evidence-based epidemiologist.
      Secondly, it is still insisting on mass PCR testing, which is mislabelling healthy people as sick (and to be treated as lepers) and the majority of deaths today as being from Covid.
      This type of madness from PCR testing has happened before in the US and it takes a lot of strength of character to admit the error. Sadly, while our political leaders are fixated on Covid and allowing the country to be terrorised, I do not think we will ever get out of this vicious cycle.

      1. NickC
        January 10, 2021

        Dr Jones, Exactly so. Inept politicians are hiding behind hysterical modellers, and excusing it as “the” science. We now simply have another – albeit nasty – respiratory disease to add to influenza, pneumonia, etc – all endemic.

    2. Mike Wilson
      January 10, 2021

      We have not eradicated the common cold, flu or pneumonia.

      As for wipe out in the local elections …

      1) They will not be held
      2) If they are, who will be wiped out? You think people will vote Labour instead of Tory? No way.

      If they are held, I predict a turnout so low that it will indicate ‘a pox on all your houses’. Even complete disengagement with our ‘democracy’ will not precipitate change.

      1. Hope
        January 10, 2021

        Mike, Anyone voting Fake Tory needs psychological help.

        Hancock today would not deny having strategy talks with Blaire! How long has Blaire been in their party? Stevens head of NHS Blaire Policy advisor. Bates another Blaire man. The list is endless. what have the Fake Tories changed of the Blaire socialist revolution over the past ten years in office? Nothing. All those woke left wing censoring quangos going full speed ahead.

        There is no difference between the Tory and Labour, only rhetoric to get the offices of power.

        1. NickC
          January 10, 2021

          Hope, You do have a point.

        2. dixie
          January 11, 2021

          You have a viable alternative? – then offer the viable alternative.

        3. Mark B
          January 11, 2021

          +1

      2. G Wheatley
        January 10, 2021

        Mike, you miss the point I think. Ian is saying that they have all been renamed!

      3. Ian Wragg
        January 10, 2021

        You obviously don’t do irony. I know we haven’t eradicated them but no one now dies of them. A respiratory deaths are deemed covid related.

        1. Lifelogic
          January 10, 2021

          As are many cancer, stroke, heart disease … deaths it seems. This is fairly clear from the state released. Covid kills nearly twice as many men as women and has an age profile but not so much with the recent deaths it seems.

    3. Hope
      January 10, 2021

      Handcock says end of March is the law, but cannot commit! Nor would he deny he got advice from Blaire! Still following his policies and guidance claiming to be Tories!

      This is an utter outrage. Perhaps a night time variant or a motorist variant to force to go green. Lunatics have taken over the asylum. Tax rises delayed until autumn because local elections in May. I know who I will never vote for.

      Charts in Con Woman show a completely different picture from govt Fake charts.

    4. Mike Durrans
      January 10, 2021

      I agree Ian for almost all of your comment. Only the last paragraph needs to be more targeted in my view

      That is, the management levels that Blair initiated are the weak link and the most expensive . They need investigated for efficiency and REDUCED. They have been the big problem and only inky fingers( dont benefit the organisation. Old boys network I suspect.

      I would add, the government has made a VERY poor choice of the medics giving advice. They are too few and wrongly qualified .

    5. Mark B
      January 10, 2021

      The game is to get the Tories out of the mess they have got themselves into. The aim is to cone out of it as saviour of the NHS and the nation, just in time for the locals. Of course it will be straight back to the New Normal once that is over.

    6. Lester Cynic Beedell
      January 10, 2021

      Ian Wragg

      Don’t you think that a reason will be found to “postpone” the local elections again, the direction that we’re currently following is becoming extremely worrying, how long will it be before some decent Tory MPs take the government to task for taking away our fundamental rights?

      1. BeebTax
        January 11, 2021

        +1

    7. Everhopeful
      January 10, 2021

      +1
      WHY???

    8. Nig l
      January 10, 2021

      Only one problem. Fact. Why do people have annual flu jabs if it has been eradicated.

      Small left wing cliques like the umpteen front line NHS staff, no doubt all in it together, who tell us how Covid is overwhelming some hospitals, and before you continue with this hoax/clique bollocks, my partner works in a hospital and has seen the increase in Covid beds, or is she lying as well.

      When you get the jab, they say just a little prick. Indeed.

      1. G Wheatley
        January 10, 2021

        Point. Miss. Spectacularly.
        Head. Over. Gone. Your.

      2. Fred H
        January 10, 2021

        they say ‘ a little sharp scratch’, but you might feel a little prick.

      3. Ian Wragg
        January 10, 2021

        No one doubts there’s been an increase but every year we get the same nonesense of the NHS being overwhelmed.
        They employ 1.4 million and have billions of pounds budget but never improve.

        1. Lifelogic
          January 10, 2021

          They have no incentives to improve! They are a state virtual monopoly. There incentives are to deter patients from bothering them (as we see with protect the NHS). They have you money anyway operation or no operation.

          There are of course many hard working, brave, dedicated and delightful people working for the NHS but the system, funding structures and organisation is appalling.

        2. Fedupsoutherner
          January 10, 2021

          But isn’t it the case that some hospitals are overwhelmed? My friends son in law is an intensive care doctor and they are on their knees.

          1. Fred H
            January 11, 2021

            waiting for replacement knees? Lots of us old ‘uns would be benefitted.

          2. a-tracy
            January 11, 2021

            Are all hospital doctors and consultants moved into intensive care to assist their colleagues after all the day operations, actually most operations have been cancelled?

            How many doctors are operating in your friend’s son-in-laws hospital, I wonder if they could tell us.

            None of our journalists seem to be asking these questions about redeployment of Doctors and consultants and general ward nurses for us, why aren’t they. Lots of people I know have had procedures cancelled what are those NHS doing, why are their colleagues in Intensive care so overwhelmed if thousands of them have been released from their usual lists?

    9. DavidJ
      January 10, 2021

      +1

    10. NickC
      January 10, 2021

      Ian, Because the NHS is a state monopoly where management gloat about their being “overwhelmed” when private businesses would re-organise to cope with a wave, and be ashamed of failing. And remember the Gloucester woman arrested for filming an empty hospital? Does the government not know what’s going on, or are they in on the hoax?

    11. Mary M.
      January 10, 2021

      Ian Wragg, off topic, but of concern. Will local elections go ahead now or, if they do, will voting be allowed by post only, what with the Government’s position on Covid-19?

      (A rhetorical question. I don’t mean to start a discussion. But the next step could be electronic voting which is even more open to fraud.)

      1. a-tracy
        January 10, 2021

        Gosh Mary who trusts postal votes now? The alleged cover up is concerning, people not listened to, boxes under desks, Italy. I now want all postal voting other than a very small number of people working outside of the UK during the vote to be stopped.

  4. Stred
    January 10, 2021

    It’s not only oversees doctors pleading to use Ivermectin but the highly respected American Frontline Doctors and some British doctors. The trials abroad proved 100% successful in reducing symptoms and death rate.

    As usual the NHS has managed to get the provision of Vitamin D3 wrong. They give the old RDA for multivitamins of 10mg as suitable for people with deficiency but a large number of senior doctors to professor level have written to the government to point out that around four times this dose is necessary to correct deficiency.

    1. Stred
      January 10, 2021

      Sorry. That should have been ten times the dose recommended by the NHS.

    2. J Bush
      January 10, 2021

      Agreed.

      I read taking Vitamin D (specifically D3 (3/5000iu) with K2 (100mcg)) supplements and the rheumatoid arthritis drug would be beneficial from numerous UK doctors stating this early summer last year. I find it questionable why these were not introduced far earlier. Who was withholding this information to the wider public and why?

      1. BeebTax
        January 11, 2021

        +1. Who decided not to roll out vitamin D but instead waited around for a comparatively expensive vaccine that also simply reduces the severity of the virus rather than gives immunity from catching or spreading it?

        And why aren’t they telling everyone to take vitamin D until such time they are vaccinated?

    3. J Bush
      January 10, 2021

      Agreed.

      I read taking Vitamin D (specifically D3 (3/5000iu) with K2 (100mcg)) supplements and/or the rheumatoid arthritis drug would be beneficial from numerous UK doctors stating this early summer last year. I find it questionable why these were not introduced far earlier. Who was withholding this information to the wider public and why?

    4. Kevin
      January 10, 2021

      +1. Ivermectin is what I would want if I caught Covid 19 but unfortunately I would need to have scabies at the same time for a GP to prescribe it.
      Its effects are proven and it must be made available without delay.

    5. NickC
      January 10, 2021

      Stred, I noticed that too. Typical NHS, completely behind the curve unless its big pharma.

    6. Christine
      January 10, 2021

      The studies show that Ivermectin given with zinc works best when given early. Anyone testing positive from the at-risk category should be offered this drug before they get so bad as to need hospitalisation.

      Vitamin D has also proven successful but only at a dose of 1000 IU per day.

      1. Dennis
        January 10, 2021

        Isn’t it the case that with hydroxychloroquine zinc must be taken? JR missed that out.

        1. Stred
          January 10, 2021

          Yes. I put the letter from all the doctors on but it was moderated. If SJR put it back, someone in government might read it.

        2. Pauline Baxter
          January 10, 2021

          AND in the early stages Dennis.
          The test J.R. mentioned were not done properly.

  5. Mark B
    January 10, 2021

    Good morning and thank you Sir John

    As better treatments and prenentatives become more widespread and our knowledge off this disease becomes better known I am sure we will learn to live with it much like we do with AIDS. Remember the public health concerns regarding that particular nasty ?

    I do however think this whole matter has been overhyped, not because of the seriousness of the disease, but because of other more embarrassing matters. e.g. the lack of beds per head of population, the unpreparedness of the NHS and PHE despite operation Cygnus, and the woefulness of the advice and data. And to add to that the craven behaviour and utter irresponsibility of the media, playing on the trusting nature of the populace. A truly heady mix.

    We must also not forget those with their own agendas, which are becoming more clear as time passes.

    Whilst I have met people who know people who have caught it, and I know some here who know people who have died of it, I am yet to know anyone myself personally. For such a terrible disease, for this we have been led to believe, it seems to infect the mind more easily than the rest of the body. How strange ? /sarc

    1. Sharon
      January 10, 2021

      I am almost recovered from the Corona virus and my husband is (hopefully) coming home from hospital on Monday.

      One thing I would say is that when I told some friends I’d got Covid, the number that reacted with horror was quite sad to see. I’ve been unwell, for about three weeks, at home, but it is after all …an illness. I’ve never had flu, but that sounds far worse. So the reaction by those friends was quite disturbing.

      One conversation revealed that Covid is far worse than Cancer- “nearly everyone survives that”. Not sure I agree with that statement.

      My husband was given the blood plasma, steroids, oxygen and currently antibiotics for chest and urine infection. (I wondered that too!)

      1. Mark B
        January 11, 2021

        Sharon

        Sorry to hear this and I hope both you and your husband make a strong and speedy recovery.

        It is sad that your friends reacted in such a way. My fear is that people such as you may be treated like lepers, which is wrong. I have lost so much respect for my fellow countrymen.

    2. Sir Joe Soap
      January 10, 2021

      Almost certainly there will be regrets that non-vulnerable under-60s weren’t allowed to get on with life, advised to steer clear of anyone vulnerable or old and the latter given the option of a gold-plated stay-at-home life for a year. Younger carers again given golden handshakes for isolating with their chargees. Combine that with quickly built isolation units for anyone suffering badly with the virus and we’d be home and dry with far fewer deaths and a better economy.
      Not hindsight, twas always said.
      No singing in the bath for this chancellor.

    3. Lester Cynic Beedell
      January 10, 2021

      Yes, it’s a disease of the mind and the media are playing their part to perfection with screaming headlines about the mutating virus, keeping the “sheep” frightened, one can only assume just what the purpose is and from my perspective it’s looking rather sinister, when will MPs wake up?

    4. No Longer Anonymous
      January 10, 2021

      Aids is easily avoided – there’s no comparison.

      1. Mark B
        January 11, 2021

        But the hysteria surrounding it is the same and the fact that we have learnt to live with the risk no matter how small.

    5. NickC
      January 10, 2021

      Mark B, Yes, I agree. One striking example of NHS incompetence is local NHS directors trumpeting their inability to deal with the majority because of covid. So a local hospital gets shut down (except for covid patients) and the local NHS management get supported by the local (Tory) MP. The idea of holding the NHS management to account for their feeble response seems to pass him by.

  6. Nig l
    January 10, 2021

    I would also like to know about open air transmission. My understanding is the chances are extremely low/non existent.

    However I see that people can be arrested for sitting in isolation in a park bench but not for getting a lot closer to people in an enclosed space in supermarkets.

    Funny that the police say that they do not have the resources to follow up what they say is low level crime , thousands of burglaries, card fraud etc but sitting on park benches, more than 2 people meeting, having a coffee, now called a picnic, lakes having dye put in them, and suddenly the police get mob handed.

    For years there have been justifiable questions about the Met’s over zealous approach to the black community, this seems to have now spread to all of us.

    1. Sir Joe Soap
      January 10, 2021

      Low hanging fruit.
      They don’t get ÂŁ200 for solving a burglary.

    2. beresford
      January 10, 2021

      Police apparently patrolling Birmingham city centre and handing out fines to anyone who comes in to shop. And yet Birmingham market and the supermarkets are open. How are the people who work there supposed to make a living?

    3. Dave Andrews
      January 10, 2021

      The item about two women going for a walk in separate cars and being fined for it, was followed on the news by sport, where we see 22 men running around the pitch in close proximity.
      Then we hear about how many football teams are hit with Covid cases. No surprise as they mix with different people on a weekly basis, getting infected then exposing their families to risk.
      The rules are a muddle

    4. Qubus
      January 10, 2021

      I tend to agree with you that the police were over-zealous about the two young women who weren’t hurting anyone or anything. However, what if one says: well, if they can do that why can’t we do that? Where exactly do the police draw the line?
      I imagine you would say: well, they need to us their common sense; always a doubtful area open to mis-interpretation.

      1. Fred H
        January 10, 2021

        nobody would know they were there, and possibly flocked to the same place, if the mass gathering of Police had not stopped, lectured and fined them! Perhaps the Police involved thought ‘lets go the reservoir, we’ll have nothing to do and might enjoy the break’.

    5. NickC
      January 10, 2021

      Nig1, Indeed. Compared to historical examples we are well off. Having our home invaded at 5am and being dragged off to the gulag is not happening here. Yet. But we are, I believe, at the start of the slippery slope. We still have time to change direction. But only if we recognise that covid19 does not warrant the hysterical over reaction of the MSM, some academics, and the government. Covid19 is a nasty disease, but not for the vast majority, and no worse than many other endemic diseases.

    6. IGNORE THEM
      January 10, 2021

      I would also like to know about open air transmission. My understanding is the chances are extremely low/non existent.


      There are 13000 less beds this year due to the unscientific superstition of social distancing. My wifes sister is a hospital doctor, she is only busy as so many staff sent home asymptomatic after testing positive.

  7. Mike Stallard
    January 10, 2021

    After a year, medical science is making a lot of progress. Well done them!

  8. Dave
    January 10, 2021

    The best cure for covid is to turn the tv off. Works like a charm.

    1. Mark B
      January 11, 2021

      Spot on !

  9. Lifelogic
    January 10, 2021

    Delighted to hear that the Queen and Duke have had their first vaccine shot long live the Queen. I am no great fan of the deluded climate alarmist Prince Charles.

    But which vaccine did they opt to take? I suppose we will not be told.

    1. a-tracy
      January 10, 2021

      Reported in the paper as the Oxford vaccine.

  10. Nutrient Dense
    January 10, 2021

    Why does the government not encourage people to eat nutrient dense real food to protect against the virus?
    Foods rich in Vitamin D include butter, eggs, liver and seafood. The body manufactures Vitamin D out of cholesterol in the presence of sunlight. During winter months when sunlight is in short supply good old fashioned cod liver oil is a good supplement to take.
    Also important are foods rich in Zinc, which include red meat, fish, nuts, seeds and ginger, and Vitamin A found in butter, eggs, liver and seafood.
    Those following a vegan diet this Veganuary will be missing out on these all important nutrients at this critical time.

    1. Mike Wilson
      January 10, 2021

      Twaddle. I am vegan and am not missing out on anything.

      1. Fred H
        January 10, 2021

        you are missing out on the smell and taste of bacon and eggs, a steak being fried, sausages, fish and chips, milk shakes, honey dripping off your mouth onto your chin……yummy.

      2. NickC
        January 10, 2021

        Mike, Vegans tend to eat a lot of food that has to be imported. So food with 1000 mile supply chains, rather than sheep meat grown on our high lands where vegetable growing is neither economic nor easy.

    2. Fedupsoutherner
      January 10, 2021

      All found in abundance on a scaled back version of the Keto diet. Lower carbs and higher healthy fats actually help people avoid diabetes, lose weight and eat satisfying real food.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        January 10, 2021

        My comment was a reply to Nutrient Dense.

  11. Maylor
    January 10, 2021

    I have read reports that many patients have caught covid while in hospital and I know of 2 such cases.

    Perhaps as well as offering therapeutics, the NHS could also improve their standards of barrier nursing.

    1. Norman
      January 10, 2021

      Yes, disposable gloves may be useful, but I doubt very much constantly changing flimsy aprons, plus wearing a mask all day, do much to stop a virus that’s floating around in the air. I’m afraid its little more than play-acting. Best to keep them out of hospital, or use only dedicated hospitals, once infection is confirmed.

  12. Sakara Gold
    January 10, 2021

    Last week one of my friends wanted to visit his mother on her birthday, she is in a privately run care home. So he went down to one of the new “symptomless” test centres for a test as this was a requirement of allowing the visit

    The test to be used was one of the 10 minute rapid lateral flow tests. The chap in line in front of him was sweating profusely and had a continuous, hacking cough. My friend, who was symptomless, tested positive and had to agree to self-isolate. The chap in front with the cough tested negative

    These rapid tests are far too inaccurate to be of any use whatsoever. Why are they being used? It seems that an associate to the “health” secretary owns the firm that produces them.

    The government this morning announced a major expansion of this rapid testing scheme for people who have to work from home etc. Whats the point? What is going on here? I think Hancock should make a statement in Parliament about how these useless tests came to be approved.

  13. Beecee
    January 10, 2021

    Vitamin D letters may have been sent where you live Sir J, but in my small PCN part of Kent and Medway CCG, there seems to be a significant absence of them.

    Reply I didn’t say Vit D letters. People who have a letter identifying them as at more risk can apply for free Vit D

    1. Beecee
      January 10, 2021

      Apologies, I should have read your words more carefully:-

      “They will have received letters advising them to be careful.”

      It is these letters that have not been received.

  14. Caterpillar
    January 10, 2021

    The Vitamin D issue that Govt should answer today

    1) For which people (e.g. some kidney or cardiovascular issues) is it not safe to increase daily vitamin D supplement from the typical 25 micrograms to the higher 100 micrograms to treat a presumed vitamin D deficiency (over a two week period)? At this time, which people should actually choose for the once a month megadose route over the daily route?
    2) Are the NHS treating patients with covid being treated with vitamin D and in which case what dosage and type? The Cordoba study specifically used calcifediol i.e. 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (the mathematical analysis is given by Jungreis and Kelly, medrxiv).
    I will resist extended detail on above or ivermectin or other cheap approaches (the voices for which have been suppressed).

    The relationship between treatment, free speech and big tech issues

    In most of the world people who are questioning lockdown policies, test regimes or cheap/accessible are being cancelled. In at least the USA (previously the bastion of free speech) conservative voices are being deplatformed and cancelled. There is no liberty, education and health are institutionlised and a handful of hyper rich / big tech companies are able to control all speech and apportion blame. I am very, very, very afraid, that what are normally the serious issues raised by Sir John, are in the current context tittle tattle. The previously free world is locked up, much news is created (fake), much speech is cancelled – and many don’t even recognise the situation. The U.K. P.M. is standing against liberty, free speech and democracy. His current m.o. is to say, I’ll lock you up for a little longer and a little harder, don’t worry about free speech, they’re not experts.

    The P.M. needs to find the decency and strength to change sides, and speak out for both liberty and free speech across the world.

    1. NickC
      January 10, 2021

      Caterpillar, Well said. I think Boris has been captured. It is too late for him to change. So he has to go.

  15. Margaret Brandreth-
    January 10, 2021

    I take Vit D , zinc , glucosamine daily , however ,prevention is better than cure. If everybody took transmission and self protection more seriously this would help and save admission initially.

    For example MRSA is treated with more simple methods in hospital which could be cross applied for prevention. These include antiseptic gargles , antiseptic nasal cream for nostrils , swabbing with the disinfectant chlorhexidine ( which can be used as a shower product) , washing clothes daily , washing hair daily allowing fresh air to circulate in closed spaces a few times a day and keeping own space dust and clutter free. Competent use of masks including double masking in more at risk spaces and safe disposal is also a sensible move.

    1. Fred H
      January 10, 2021

      try fatty foods, eggs, mushrooms sunshine(!), red meat, nuts, dairy, shellfish.
      Give up the pills.

      1. Margaret
        January 10, 2021

        Everything in moderation and well balanced nutritional intake is the answer . You stick to your diet and I will stick to mine.

        1. Fred H
          January 11, 2021

          MB’s diet is swallowing loads of pills?

          1. M Brandreth- Jones
            January 11, 2021

            Really ? haven’t you heard of combination medication for joints?

          2. Fred H
            January 12, 2021

            Are you alleging the average GP will advise ‘ take Vit D , zinc , glucosamine pills daily’.
            Probably tell us where the nearest homeopathic shop is too?
            Nonsense.

          3. M Brandreth- Jones
            January 15, 2021

            You make the most ridiculous assumptions , I have already stated that the combination pill is for joints which most GP;s including myself would prescribe for arthritis. These obviously double up . It is standard medical practice , not alternative .
            Keep your mouth closed and your brain engaged.

  16. cornishstu
    January 10, 2021

    The UK may not have found HCQ to be of benefit, whereas it has been used successfully elsewhere for COVID 19, India for one example in a densely populated environment or did all the Doctors using it make it up? Lockdown Sceptics has a couple of good pieces today one on a peer review paper which says that lockdowns are pretty useless also one on the efficacy of Ivermectin both as a prophylactic and treatment. Looks like it might even better than the vaccines at preventing infection. Can’t see that being approved either for use either.

    1. J Bush
      January 10, 2021

      +1

    2. Christine
      January 10, 2021

      There’s little money in it for the pharmaceutical industry and there lies the problem.

    3. Pauline Baxter
      January 10, 2021

      Thanks. I didn’t know India had used CHQ successfully.
      Hope JR notices and rethinks on that one.

      1. Lifelogic
        January 11, 2021

        Exactly. An epidemic of highly dubious over testing with a large degree of mis-labelling of deaths. All is rather clear from the stats. Lies, lies lies.

  17. No Longer Anonymous
    January 10, 2021

    As Jeremy Clarkson points out yesterday – the hospitals are in crisis because they are able to treat CV-19 patients. “The beds are blocked because not enough people are dying of Covid 19 !”

    So here’s the thing to consider, people. Just because they’re better at curing CV-19 it doesn’t mean you’ll be getting that cure. Not if the Covid units are blocked up. You may well be left at home if you get it badly. They can only handle so many patients at a time.

    For the first time in this crisis I think that lock down is correct. The vaccine has arrived – one last push… I hope.

    Face, Space, hands, vit D, eat well, lose weight… get vaccinated and keep fingers crossed.

    If this doesn’t work then we simply must go for focused shielding.

    1. glen cullen
      January 11, 2021

      It has worked for 10 months……maybe herd immunity

  18. a-tracy
    January 10, 2021

    Chloroquine. Regeneron. Ivermectin. Were you told what size sample of people going into hospital in the UK were given each treatment? And those you have been told the NHS is continuing with. Discounting covid 19 what was the underlying state of health when these drugs were administered?

    The people without underlying health conditions, and not on other long term medication, what drug treatment can they expect from the NHS from day 1 of being diagnosed if they are over 50 or 60 (the most at risk groups we are told)?

    Are drugs only administered when it gets to the point of hospital admission? If someone over 70 is tested covid + are they prescribed medication immediately? Which medication? Or are they left to self-treat with what Chicken Soup and Paracetamol?

    I know the NHS have not wanted to prescribe antibiotics in the UK over many years now. Are antibiotics prescribed for covid or do we just wait for people to rock up at hospital panicking because they can’t breathe? Have we trialled say erythromycin?

    I’m the sort of person that avoids doctors and hospitals as much as possible. I wish we could buy an oxygen tank and mask to protect people close to us from having to go into hospital with the reported breathing difficulties from this condition because I am losing faith with the NHS.

  19. eurggh
    January 10, 2021

    Healthy diet too. No creme eggs.

  20. Nig l
    January 10, 2021

    Ps. Someone has just been fined for leaving their house more than once a day. So if I suddenly run out of milk I can’t go and get another one if I have already been out.

    Do you understand what absolute police state crap this now is.

    1. eurggh
      January 10, 2021

      Co op has a 2 hour from order online delivery service. ÂŁ15 min spend.slots always available.
      A nice motorcycle man delivers to your door. There’s always items not in stock so that wipes out the small delivery charge if you plan it well.

    2. Dennis
      January 10, 2021

      You should move to Hastings – haven’t seen a policeman out for more that 5 years and still haven’t these past 12 months.

    3. Mike Wilson
      January 11, 2021

      It transcends farce. If I go out for a two hour walk, once a day, that is okay. If I go out for two one hour walks, I am breaking the law.

      Is the government collectively insane? What evidence is there that the virus spreads when people are out walking? Where I live we all step into the road and give each other a wide berth.

  21. Mike Wroe
    January 10, 2021

    We should be using Ivermectin now, not waiting for a laborious trial that will take weeks if not months. Offer this to those who are sick at home to increase their chances of speedy recovery without having to go into hospital. And what has happened to blood plasma? There is no shortage of potential supply from those who have recovered. Intuition would suggest plasma, by introducing antibodies in to patients, should work and can’t see any risks.

  22. jim
    January 10, 2021

    Could you ask Boris to stop droning on about harder and harder lockdowns. This sort of talk has the smell of desperation about it, we seem well into diminishing returns territory here.

    Just get on with the vaccination programme, even there we have the whiff of suspicion the vaccine cupboard is not as well stocked as we were told. Action speaks louder than words.

  23. Newmania
    January 10, 2021

    Best cure for a hangover ? Don`t get drunk the night before. The Trumpish thinking that has infected the Conservative Party was the first and worst transmission and if you expect them to accept that reality … you are not watching the show

  24. Roy Grainger
    January 10, 2021

    I have been taking over-the-counter Vitamin D and Zinc supplements since March on the basis that they might not do any good but they won’t do any harm. It is odd that PHE didn’t recommend this along the lines “We are conducting trials to see if Vitamin D is effective but in the interim we recommend you take it anyway”. Someone may correct me but my impression is that if you catch Covid you just stay at home with no treatment until things get so bad you have to go to hospital and then treatment starts – surely there are by now some drugs you can be prescribed to try to minimise the chance of ending up in hospital ? I too have a finger Oximeter to ensure that I could get straight to hospital immediately if things turned bad.

    My local council (London) just wrote to me saying they have been advised peak infections will be around March 21st. That is peak, not when they have returned to low levels. Hancock is now touring the studios saying that maybe restrictions can start to be lifted sometimes in the spring (so April and after). Once again all the Conservative MPs played for fools with Boris’ bluster about mid-February just to get them to approve the latest lockdown.

    Why haven’t places of worship been closed this time ?

  25. formula57
    January 10, 2021

    Delighted that “The NHS now says that taking Vitamin D supplements over the winter may be helpful “ – as a non medic myself that became part of my Covid response twelve months ago.

  26. boffin
    January 10, 2021

    The RECOVERY trial failed badly in NOT evaluating hydroxychloroquine / chloroquine (HC / C) in NON-hospitalised patients … limiting to HC monotherapy … limiting to one HC dose regime … leading to the risk of a gravely flawed conclusion of HC inefficacity, in the face of strong anecdotal evidence to the contrary.

    (The outcome of the Oxford ongoing COPCOV trial re. HC/C covid-19 prophylaxis might be ‘interesting’, especially in the light of firm evidence of remarkably low covid-19 mortality in some malaria zones e.g. Thailand where antimalarial prophylaxis is practised … so watch this space …).

    1. Pauline Baxter
      January 10, 2021

      boffin. Sounds like you have really looked into the hydroxychloroquine debate.
      JR please take note.

      1. DaveK
        January 11, 2021

        I don’t know whether it was ever confirmed, but I remember reading an Italian Medical report discussing why patients being treated for Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis were not suffering from covid. From memory it was over 21,000 of them. I still don’t understand why in both in the USA and UK, unsuitable trials were carried out whose results were negative effectively banning the use. I believe the trials gave the drugs to already infected and hospitalised patients et voila it was proven ineffective, since it wasn’t a miracle cure. I also wonder what effect the OrangeManBad syndrome had.

  27. Rachel
    January 10, 2021

    Dr Andrew Hill, Department of Pharmacology, University of Liverpool is currently (31.12.20) performing a WHO-sponsored review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of ivermectin against Covid. Preliminary results indicate a highly significant 83% reduction in Covid mortality (95% CI 65%-92%).

    It’s worthwhile to get a Vitamin D blood check (eg ÂŁ30 from Black Country Pathology Services). However, Vit D deficiency is a symptom for people with metabolic health problems (diabetes, cardio vascular disease, etc) so they will need to do more than take supplements.

    There are many ways we can prevent and treat severe responses to respiratory diseases like Covid. In poorer parts of the world, doctors are treating the symptoms using existing drugs as best they can, drawing on their experience rather than dictat from above. I’m sure we will continue to learn about what works for Covid(if we are prepared to listen) but the most important problem is the deterioration of metabolic health and the need to help our immune systems function better. NB Vaccines won’t necessarily help those with poor metabolic health and stressed immune systems.

  28. NickC
    January 10, 2021

    JR, As I understand it the hydrochloroquine trials in this country were at high dose levels, given to patients already ill with covid19. That is wrong: HCQ is not a medicine for covid19. For this disease low dose HCQ is thought to work as a prophylactic, not as a “medicine”, by enhancing the body’s uptake of zinc. And it is the zinc, well known as an anti-viral, which helps to fight covid19 in the early stages (only).

    Personally I have been taking extra vitamin D, zinc, and vitamin C, supplements, ever since the start of covid19. I would take low dose HCQ if I could get it.

    1. Stred
      January 10, 2021

      The professor who carried out that trial was on Marr telling us to be careful or he’ll make the rules stricter when more patients die. (Without hcq or Ivermectin).

    2. Pauline Baxter
      January 10, 2021

      More or less my opinion NickC.

  29. The Hammer Codename
    January 10, 2021

    I would also like to know about open air transmission


    It’s like demon possession, no one knows. We can measure bacteria but viruses are far too small, no one even knows if they cause illness never mind where they go.

    1. Martin in Cardiff
      January 10, 2021

      So would the whole world of science like to know.

      The precautionary principle would say stay as far apart as possible – not just 2m – and wear masks in all public places – indoor and out.

      And BAN JOGGERS from pavements and footpaths – and I write as a runner.

      1. No Longer Anonymous
        January 10, 2021

        Yes.

        I’ve been doing all my running around sports fields and remote lanes, though even they are now full with walkers.

        1. Martin in Cardiff
          January 11, 2021

          Good on you.

          There are acres of deserted sports fields in the parks here, and yet the busy pavements and pathways are filled with panting, wheezing, sweating runners, weaving amongst all the pedestrians.

      2. Fred H
        January 10, 2021

        do you run to get away from all the people of Cardiff (and Wokingham ) you have offended? As Spencer Davis (well -Steve Winwood) sang ‘Keep on Running, keep on hiding’ – wish you would run and hide.

      3. NickC
        January 10, 2021

        More bans? Typical, Martin.

        1. Martin in Cardiff
          January 11, 2021

          Yes, that silly blackout in the Blitz was an intrusion into people’s freedom too, wasn’t it?

          Covid has killed many more people than that in a fraction of the time too.

  30. Mike wroe
    January 10, 2021

    A very powerful endorsement of the benefits of ivermectin, faster viral clearance, faster time to hospital discharge, faster time to clinical recovery, and a 75% reduction in mortality rates. Researchers also support its use as a prophylaxis for health workers and a powerful argument for giving ivermectin to high risk groups while they wait for vaccination. See today’s lockdownsceptics.org.

  31. John Gross
    January 10, 2021

    I am puzzled by your remark on chloroquine. I am only aware of one test of hydro chloroquine, the now discredited and withdrawn Lancet article. In the test very high doses of hyrochloroquine alone was give to patients very ill with late stage C19.
    Do you know of any tests of treatment in line with many doctor’s recommendations – treatment at early stages with hydrochloroquine plus zinc and an antibiotic?
    Lately it appears that Ivermectin, another cheap, safe drug, can also be very effective. Do you know of any plans to check this drug?

    1. Christine
      January 10, 2021

      Go to the Dr Chris Martenson videos on YouTube for links to many of the trials already carried out. He’s been trying to get the message out over the last year but keeps getting censored if he even mentions these drugs that Sir John references.

      Someone needs to take these social media sites to task for the censorship being carried out. Governments have allowed them too much power. They need to be reined in and quickly.

      We become more like a communist state by the day.

      1. Gareth Warren
        January 10, 2021

        I would like to see protections to free speech implkemented. The social media companies started censoring people like real fascists and holocaust deniers.

        Now they are censoring things like doctors advocating treatments, people questioning election validity and posting photos of certain protests.

        I no longer consider the US “the land of the free”, but hope we can keep a sensible level of freedom.

      2. Pauline Baxter
        January 10, 2021

        Agreed Christine.

    2. hefner
      January 10, 2021

      covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov ‘Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine with or without Azythromycin’ 09/10/2020 . This report by the US National Institutes of Health is quite clear. These antimalarial drugs do not produce any positive impact on Covid-19 patients.

  32. Mactheknife
    January 10, 2021

    Sir John, thank you for coming back on Ivermectin which I mentioned in a post a couple of days ago. I have seen on-line a scientist in the US testifying to a congressional committee about early results of testing calling it a ‘miracle’ drug and it should be approved by the FDA immediately. Its another re-purposed drug which is freely available, and he urged congress to make a quick decision and I would urge the UK government to accelerate testing on this also, otherwise we may miss a good opportunity to stem the death toll..

    1. formula57
      January 10, 2021

      +1

      The testimony was from Dr. Pierre Kory to the US Senate’s Homeland Security Committee on 8, December 2020.

      1. Mactheknife
        January 10, 2021

        Thanks formula57, that’s the one I was thinking of. Incidentally I mentioned this on another forum and the moderators went crazy, removing my post and saying I was spreading fake news !!

        This is a sign of the lockdown leftwaffe in action. After all this is over (well at least under some kind of control) I would urge Sir John and his colleagues to tackle Big Tech and their full on assault on free speech.

  33. RichardM
    January 10, 2021

    A year of dither and delay from this government has now led to the state of emergency in London. Only now are the government planning to introduce testing at points of entry into the UK.
    Only Trump fanatics thought that Chloroquine would be the ‘gamechanger’ in Covid treatment. It’s usefulness was assessed and dismissed by experts months ago.

    1. NickC
      January 10, 2021

      The assessment was flawed, and the results discredited, Richard.

  34. G Wheatley
    January 10, 2021

    Yes, Vitamin D.
    That’s what Dr. Hodkinson advised in his address to the Edmonton City Council in Alberta Canada. And his address to them was ‘flamed’ for being fake.

    Several weeks later the UK government then decide that Vitamin D supplements were a good idea….. and after failing to acknowledge that getting people OUT of their homes and exposed to daylight was a natural way of boosting their bodys Vit-D production (yet another thing that lockdown doesn’t assist).

    The only joined-up thinking that Boris [et al] are displaying is that of hindsight. they are not pro-active, but reactive, and in a bad way too – lockdowns don’t work and so the answer is …… more lockdowns.

    There’s an element of ‘Brownian Motion’ about them. (For all the non-scientists {especially Labour Arts Graduates} out there – no, that’s nothing do with an ex-PM).

  35. London Nick
    January 10, 2021

    Sir John,

    There is a British pharmaceutical company called Synairgen that has taken a well-known, tried and tested drug called Interferon (which acts by stimulating your body’s natural immune system) and reformulated it so that, instead of being injected it can be administered through a nebuliser.
    The benefit is that you get a 100% hit direct into the lungs, which is where it is needed. It has passed the Phase I trials (safety) and the Phase II trials (efficacy). In the double-blind trials the placebo group had a 7% death rate, while the group taking the drug – called SNG001 – had a 100% survival rate. In the US the FDA has fast-tracked this drug. It is an utter disgrace that this is not being fast-tracked here in the country where it was produced! The government’s failure is shameful.
    EVERY single patient in hospital should now be given this drug in an expanded Phase III trial involving the whole nation (with no placebo group!). We know it’s safe, and we know it’s effective, so, in this time of emergency, we should adopt a new, innovative, buccaneering and imaginative approach and rather than engage in all the usual, slow, processes for approving its use, let’s take a bold decision and IMMEDIATELY make it available to everyone. Indeed, itcould be distributed in pharmacies for home use. What say you? Will you promote this policy?

    Best regards, Nick

    1. Mactheknife
      January 10, 2021

      I think it may be the same drug (I’m not sure) when I watched an interview on US television about 6 months ago with a doctor who said he prescribed a drug administered via a nebuliser and it was 100% effective on his patients where he had no fatalities – even in the elderly.

      He mentioned that he looked at what Taiwan did as they have very few fatalities and just thought “if its good enough for them, its good enough for us” and went ahead with the treatment.

    2. a-tracy
      January 10, 2021

      Apparently Nick, Matt Hancock is now relying on Tony Blair for advice because of Inadequate leadership in the Tory party, god why do I ever look at the Daily Mail I know its free and I’m bored but…changing the beds is looking more interesting right now.

  36. Mike Wilson
    January 10, 2021

    Just been out for my daily walk. In the lockdown last March, you could walk down the middle of the main road. Few cars or lorries, it felt like the end of the world. Today it felt completely normal. What lockdown?

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      January 10, 2021

      I have just been out to walk my dog on a walk that is on my doorstep. It’s normally just locals and we all know one another however today there were numerous people out together who nobody knew and many cars parked along the roadside. People are not abiding by the rules and will ruin it for everyone. NeighboYes who live opposite us normally have two cars on the drive for the two that live there permanently. Today there are six cars. The local police don’t want to know. My friends son in law works in a London hospital in A&E and intensive care and he and his fellow staff are worn out and he said it won’t be long before they turn away emergencies. He is livid that more isn’t being done regarding the rules as his life is sheer hell at the moment.

      1. NickC
        January 10, 2021

        Fedup, Blame NHS management, not people trying to live their lives under the sinister lockdowns. Less “diversity” training means more retired medical staff available to help out.

        1. Fedupsoutherner
          January 10, 2021

          That doesn’t help those on the front line now though. People being sensible while going about their business might.

      2. a-tracy
        January 11, 2021

        FuS. There will be more people out and about locally because that’s the ONLY exercise they can take, they can’t pop to the local shopping mall to walk around, or to the local park/beauty area if it’s not on their doorstep and doable in your one allowed hour out. Their only recourse is to walk around their local streets!

  37. Everhopeful
    January 10, 2021

    From Versus Arthritis.org

    “Tocilizumab is a biological therapy and can be prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis (roo-ma-toy-d arth-ri-tus), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) or giant cell arteritis”.

    MAB not MAT
    Maybe I’m wrong..but worth checking?

  38. M Brandreth- Jones
    January 10, 2021

    It is certainly strange that a drug used manly for eradication helminths should also have an antiviral effect and that NSAID’s previously warned as a contraindication to protecting against Covid should now be advocated . I wonder if drugs not used frequently for a long time and then pop up many years later regain their potency relative to individual physiology .

  39. Mr Fisher
    January 10, 2021

    I will not be accepting the partially-trialled experimental mRNA injectable symptom-reducing treatment AKA “vaccine”.

    I would certainly accept hydroxychloroquine as a prophylactic, were doctors permitted to prescribe it. I’m over 60 but at approx. ÂŁ1 a week I’d happily foot the bill myself.

    1. RichardP
      January 10, 2021

      +1

  40. EMERGENCY
    January 10, 2021

    Why is Iran’s Ayatollah allowed to KEEP his Twitter account?

  41. Lindsay McDougall
    January 10, 2021

    Do all hospitals know about these treatments and their effectiveness? Has the NHS bureaucracy taken steps to ensure that they do?

  42. Pauline Baxter
    January 10, 2021

    Sir John. It was actually hydroxychloroquine plus zinc recommended to treat Covid 19. AND it had to be given IN THE EARLY STAGES. Probably as soon as covid detected.
    As I understand it the tests that were done did not follow that advice AND in some cases overdosed.
    No one can believe everything they are told of course.
    But sometimes it’s best to avoid throwing out the baby with the bath water.

    Please think again, very carefully, are we ever going to get out of these lock downs.
    More and more it looks like the level of vaccination will never be thought adequate and/or a new variant or some other excuse will be found for what has become a dictatorship.

  43. Gareth Warren
    January 10, 2021

    I have followed developments on treatments and disagree that HCQ is useless since the NHS study was without zinc and given very late in the illness, all tests seem to only confirm a benefit when given very early on. The NHS also gave a very high dose, no benefit has been seen for this.

    While its still used in places such as India and Brazil Ivermectin is now the drug of choice since it has better results and works at any stage. In the west we have been disturbingly slow in checking this and others out.

    I am pleased the government is supporting the deployment of vitamin D, this also seems to give a great benefit even beyond covid-19, hopefully we can continue this and no longer live with the yearly flu deaths.

  44. a-tracy
    January 10, 2021

    Can I just ask, now all of the UK are under virtual house arrest, where you can only go out within walking distance of your house for exercise once per day but if you do go out for exercise you can’t shop on the same day (woman arrested today for being seen out and about twice, she claimed she walked to Tesco once and then went for a walk later). Why have the UK not insisted immediately on a negative private covid test from people entering the UK from France as they did to us (no notice just before Christmas locked down by France- what is taking Shapps and Hancock five days to action whilst wanting to arrest us – have they got family and friends still out of the Country until Wednesday I think we should know why not immediate). Also flights inbound why aren’t we insisting on a flight ban, lock down none essential personal flights for two weeks from today to have a proper circuit breaker. Its not a circuit breaker if you’ve left the back door open.

    Getting angry now.

    1. glen cullen
      January 11, 2021

      We can’t just ask the French to start testing people going to the UK – that would be inline with their ‘level playing field’ …..keeping the EU at one level and the UK at another

  45. Caterpillar
    January 10, 2021

    I have just read the Stanford Uni (accepted for publication) paper by Bendavid, Oh, Bhattacharya, Ionaddis (Assessing Mandatory Stay‐at‐Home and Business Closure Effects on the Spread of COVID‐19). It is a fixed effects econometrics model examining the difference of more restrictive non-pharmaceutical interventions (i.e. lockdowns) to less restrictive + natural epidemic dynamics. It discusses its methodological limits towards the end

    Conclusion approximately no benefit, possibly negative.

    Of course there is a glut of mixed quality literature coming out, but I guess that Mr Sunak and Mr Hancock can remember their econometrics, and so if I were able I would recommend they read this paper. I would also recommend all MPs that voted for the lockdown read the paper and question the Health Secretary (and P.M.) with some urgency.

  46. Stephen Reay
    January 10, 2021

    Sir John as long as people don’t follow Covid distancing we’ll never drive down this virus. Please can you ask Matt Hancock why it’s ok for footballers to hugg and kiss after scoring a goal or why the paparazzi can group together as seen on TV to get their photo, and why it’s not ok for two young women to drive 5 miles for a walk. My point being ,if it’s not enforced for all, some will say “how is it ok for them and not me”

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      January 10, 2021

      +1

  47. glen cullen
    January 10, 2021

    The police are great at guideline enforcement against 2 old ladies in Derbyshire for taking a walk, but our police etc still can’t stop nor return illegals from crossing the English Channel – BBC reporting 30+ Sussex coast and 120+ Kent coast

    This isn’t lockdown

    1. Lifelogic
      January 10, 2021

      They are always far more keen on mugging the law abiding, it is so much easier for them.

      1. Alan Jutson
        January 10, 2021

        +1

    2. glen cullen
      January 11, 2021

      Home Office confirm another 57 on Sunday

  48. Mike Wilson
    January 10, 2021

    In the war, what the media could and could not say was tightly controlled. It is time to do that again. I have just seen on the Microsoft News home page (that you see in their Edge browser) a headline from Yahoo! Finance UK that reads;

    Ocado becomes first large grocer to warn of stock shortages.

    If you read the article it is a non-event. There is talk of problems because of staff off with Covid and that there may be product substitutions – as there often are with supermarket home deliveries.

    This sort of hysterical scaremongering has to stop. Mr. Redwood – can you do anything about this? This is what causes the panic buying and people going out when they don’t need to. If this is such a terrible emergency that the police are arresting a woman for sitting on a bench in Weymouth today – then, surely, the government needs to calm the bloody media down.

    1. gregory martin
      January 10, 2021

      During a war, the enemy needs to be denied intelligence, and perhaps, misled.
      In the current situation its the home population that is misled and arguably denied intelligent information.
      My appreciation of media coverage is that it would appear to being used as a tool in the propagation of fear, for whatever ends and is not asking any of the right questions, that our kind host asks. Are there actually ‘D ‘ notices issued? We need to know.
      Fake news abounds, theories contrary to the central missive are thought conspiritorial , alternative scientific work is buried and its authors ‘cancelled’.
      Its time that our legendary community spirit was fired-up and unleashed upon the ‘virus’ that is the enemy. It may help defeat Covid too.

  49. Iain Gill
    January 10, 2021

    I see the government is planning to cancel the elections.

    We really dont even have the pretense of a democracy do we.

    1. Caterpillar
      January 10, 2021

      It is sadly irrelevant as people around the world have no liberty and freedom of speech has been removed – if enough people listen to you and you have the wrong view you will be, at best, deplatformed. You can be a little perdon, you can be a President, but you can still be removed. It is possible to be fully cancelled, no job, no banking etc.

      In the UK 3 weeks of shutdown became indeterminate full life restriction unless your labour is determined useful. Repeated ‘all in this together messenging’ is leveraged with nationally timed simultaneous applause to become a single entity. No free and critical thinking is permitted, it cannot spread.

      All but a few token MPs support this situation, there is no political system, it is tyranny. Elections add nothing but pretence to such a system.

  50. Fedupsoutherner
    January 10, 2021

    Country file on at the moment encouraging walking in the country side. Presenter walking with another person. Normal people get fined but not them not seems. They are also encouraging people to drive.

  51. Bob Dixon
    January 10, 2021

    Watching football on TV.Despite COVID footballers still spit and hug each other when one of the scores.

  52. David Brown
    January 10, 2021

    It was suggested to me that getting a pneumonia vaccine that evidently lasts for life is another good way of reducing body complications if you get Covid. Evidently a lot of people who get Covid also get pneumonia and the added complication can be seriously life threatening.
    I had to get mine privately as I don’t fall into the category of more life behind than in front like many on this blog.
    Also my exercise is road cycling, well away from busy roads out into country roads that are quiet, provided its not icy.
    As for Social Media Companies they are private sector “free market” that you all seem to champion especially deregulation. So it seems to me they are free to do what they want and if that includes censorship that’s part of their free market privilege.

    1. rose
      January 11, 2021

      Senisble free market governments break up monopolies.

  53. turboterrier
    January 10, 2021

    No matter how many drugs and vaccines become available to our population they are but a solution to a massive problem
    The real problem is the thousands who have now intention of abiding by the rules as laid down by government regarding lockdown and social distances.

    I live very close to a MoD establishment which has public right of way public footpath passing through it. Since lockdown the area has attracted vehicles travelling over 15 miles to use the facility to exercise themselves and their dogs. What was once a footpath used by about 15 dog walkers and joggers is now filled with outsiders causing grid lock and mayhem in the local road network and car parks. The heavier footfall is damaging to the existig paths and vegetation. The downside also is the pressure on the MoD to cootrol security. This could result ithe publicroutesbeigshut down. Do the local police do anything ? NO. Not enough feet on the ground. They know that all the vehicles are outwith the area but still nothing is done . They have the powers but do nothing. Their role to observe and advise or better still ignore. That is why we find ourselves in the position we are. The vaccine is not the panacea to all the problems associated with the pandemic.

    1. IGNORE THEM
      January 10, 2021

      The real problem is the thousands who have now intention of abiding by the rules as laid down by government regarding lockdown and social distances.


      what is wrong with you?

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        January 11, 2021

        Perhaps the only thing wrong with him is he uses his common sense. Until we are vaccinated I think many of us feel safer with less contact with others. The virus was diminishing until this new variant came along which nobody could forsee. In our small village we had no cases during the first wave but several families have the virus this time. If you have a medical emergency in your family and can’t get into hospital because they are full of Covid patients then don’t moan. In the meantime it’s best to ignore you.

        1. IGNORE THEM
          January 11, 2021

          Until we are vaccinated I think many of us feel safer with less contact with others.


          Madness
          Please stop watching TV

      2. turboterrier
        January 11, 2021

        Nothing is wrong with me the facts on the transmission rates speak for them selves. It is people like you with no compassion for anybody buty yourself and an ignorance that chooses to ignore the fact that it is human contact that is the fuel for the virus to spread.

  54. George Brooks.
    January 10, 2021

    Neither is this the Brexit we were promised Glen Cullen. Sir John why are we not reading that this 150+ are on a boarder patrol boat on there way back to France from whence they came and where they are not under any kind of harm or threat?

    If the law has not been changed please do so tomorrow.

    1. glen cullen
      January 11, 2021

      +1

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      January 11, 2021

      Who “promised” you anything at all?

      The UK left LAST January.

      These are the post-exit agreements with our neighbours, with whom we do hundreds of billions in trade each year.

      You were NEVER asked anything whatsoever about those.

      1. Fred H
        January 12, 2021

        perhaps if we had been asked ‘do you accept a 4 year wait if you vote Leave’ we might have voted Remain.

  55. Alan Paul Joyce
    January 10, 2021

    Dear Mr. Redwood,

    A new National Booking System for Covid vaccine appointments.

    What could possibly go wrong?

    1. glen cullen
      January 11, 2021

      But first they have to appoint one of their friends as Head of National Booking and secondly procure a computer system which is over budget, only does half of whats required and doesn’t network with the rest of the NHS

  56. IGNORE THEM
    January 11, 2021

    England and Wales total registered all cause deaths per annum.
    2016. 525,048
    2017. 533,253
    2018. 542,589
    2019. 530,841
    2020 529,928 (to 13 Nov)
    1976. 599,000 (cold winter)
    1963. 656,360 (cold winter)
    Population in England and Wales 2019 was 59.4 million. 1963 was 47.5 million. 1976 was 49.8 million.

    1. glen cullen
      January 11, 2021

      That doesn’t fit with our narrative nor current policy…..those figures need dressing up

      Nice bit of research but whats the source ?

      1. IGNORE THEM
        January 11, 2021

        Source is ONS.

        All-cause deaths in England and Wales Office of National Statistics.
        For the week of 25th Dec 2020 11,520 people died.
        This time last year, week of 3rd Jan 12,254 people died.
        Yes, that’s 734 less!
        Please tell me where is the ‘Pandemic’?

        1. Fred H
          January 11, 2021

          You’ve rather ruined the Government, NHS, SAGE and co. stories about the tens of thousands of ‘excess deaths’.

          However, perhaps in a year or more it will become clear the extra deaths of 2021 and suicides and mental health casualties will be attributed to the inability to treat ‘ordinarily avoidable’ terminal conditions.

        2. glen cullen
          January 12, 2021

          Correct…..and yet the BBC this morning (12th) are running with a story that ONS is stating that 2020 has the highest access death figure since WW2

          1. Fred H
            January 12, 2021

            The peak death rate was in 1940, given that the population of UK was 20m less than in 2020, it is pretty obvious that the death rate was far far higher in 1940 than it is now. But why spoil a headline story eh?
            Statistics ….meh!

        3. glen cullen
          January 12, 2021

          I see that the BBC are messing with the figures to get a result they want

          1. G Wheatley
            January 16, 2021

            Likewise the Govt Dashboard (the ‘goto’ source of reliable information according to David Spiegelhalter in a BBC interview a few days ago).

            the 1564 fatalities for the 13th, only appears in the ‘by report date’ section – look in the graph (and data) for ‘by occurrence’ and ….presto! they are gone. Govt Dashboard data for the 13th (now) shows 928 (…that page ON the 13th, showed only 295, along with the ‘disclaimer’ that there was a problem collating the data. Didn’t stop them giving the ‘correct’ data to WHO though, eh?).

    2. glen cullen
      January 11, 2021

      Found the info on ONS website….not easy to find or collate

      However it does suggest that there isn’t a problem….numbers in line with past annual figures

  57. Pat
    January 11, 2021

    Sir John

    This YouTube video is the best summary of medical treatments for covid I can find

    https://youtu.be/vN30emwcNS4

    I realise that your time to watch this must be limited, but it is an evidence based summary of current treatments

  58. Al
    January 11, 2021

    I see the media is pushing for panic-buying round two, by suggesting that people should be allowed to leave the house once a week. Shapps was shot down about this on Mar 31st 2020, but it appears to have resurfaced and is still utterly impractical.

    Without a car for transport, it is extremely difficult for one person to buy everything a household needs for one week in one shop. Some products, like milk, do not last that long and long-life equivalents are both more expensive and normally sold out. Households without a freezer – many lower income ones – don’t have storage for healthy food for these periods. Delivery slots are currently, rightly, entirely taken up by the vulnerable who need them.

    This is allegedly a response to park goers and beach users, but tightening the rules won’t stop people who are breaking them anyway.

    1. G Wheatley
      January 16, 2021

      And the use of long-focus telephoto lenses compresses the perspective and helps give the impression that places are more crowded than they actually are.

  59. Anthony Oliver
    January 11, 2021

    Why the Government continues to ignore Ivermectin, which in all the studies I’ve seen, is producing spectacular results as a prophylaxis, in early stage infections (eliminating the virus in 48 hours) and in serious cases, (reducing mortality by 83%) is a puzzle to me.

  60. Helen Smith
    January 11, 2021

    Please do continue to press ministers and the NHS about treatments, I’d like to know about inhaled beta interferon and if that is useful too. Thanking you in anticipation.

  61. T.C. Bidie
    January 12, 2021

    A distinguished Coronavirus expert based in China at the time of the outbreak told us 06 February Covid 19 was a severe cold and would be over by the end of May.

    Overall all cause mortality, hospital admissions, are normal for the time of year.

    2020 all cause overall mortality was middling in a 30 year context.

    15500 lorry drivers were tested in Kent over Christmas, 36 positives.

    The longer the next round of council elections etc are put off, the more damaging the result will be for the Conservative party

    1. G Wheatley
      January 12, 2021

      A few days ago there were UK news reports on ye olde wireless of a city in China (I forget the name) of 10 million people. EVERYBODY was tested, and they found……..350 ‘cases’.

      350 / 10,000,000 = 0.000035 or 0.0035% – fewer than 4/1000ths of 1%.

      1. Fred H
        January 12, 2021

        stop and think for a moment. 10 million tested – how many false positives would you expect?
        Now if you believe the testing can be carried out with that accuracy – by thousands of testers, then I give up.

        1. G Wheatley
          January 16, 2021

          I’m not sure what your point is?
          1) The Chinese data is pish? or
          2) The number of false positives is high (in which case actual infections are lower still) ? Or
          3) by, inference, the number of false negatives must also be high (much higher?) and therefore the infections are more than stated?

          If you are alluding to the fact that the level to which rtPCR is taken (iirc ct40 in the UK) and the number of false positives is high (likely nearer 90%), then I am in total agreement with you!

          Kary Mullis (the inventor and developer of PCR – for which he received the Nobel Prize – so he should know what he is talking about!) stated that PCR should NOT be used as a ‘diagnostic’ test, and certainly should not be taken past ct34, as the sampling errors and amplification of contaminants would render the result highly unreliable.

          The use of PCR (at the level of amplification being used) to diagnose ‘cases’ is actually DESIGNED to return a positive result!

          (Sorry for later posts Sir John, I know your workload is high in reviewing & moderating!).

  62. Diane
    January 13, 2021

    Helen Smith – There is an article today, 13 Jan, on BBC website ( under the Health tab ) titled: ” Large trial of new Covid treatment begins in the UK ” which mentions beta interferon.

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