A Covid wave is starting in England. The data is now unmistakable: as of 13 September, 1 in every 378 people were infected, up 78% on the previous week. The BuDS overall Covid risk level has been raised to Moderately High.
There are also signs that influenza (flu) levels are starting to rapidly increase.
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Covid infection levels in England are continuing to rise as we move into the autumn. With 1 in every 675 people in England infected as of 6 September, the BuDS overall Covid risk level remains Moderate, but is now approaching Moderately High. These are still lower levels compared to last autumn, but it is now sensible to take precautions including PPE masks in all but lower risk indoor places.
Other respiratory viruses, including flu, remain at low levels but are gradually rising.
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Politicians of all political parties are talking about cutting ‘welfare’ (correctly known as social security) to pay for higher defence costs. BuDS has studied this issue and come up with another way to look at it.
This article is a ‘thought experiment’, not a detailed economic plan. While all the data used is from official Government sources, and the calculations (methodology) is sound, we are not trying to set out a detailed plan for Government. What we are doing is helping people understand the reality of a complicated situation, and to look at it in another way from that presented in the media.
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Covid infection levels in England have jumped by a third this week, and we have raised the BuDS overall Covid risk level to Moderate. With 1 in every 857 people in England infected as of 30 August, we now recommend precautions including PPE masks in all but medium and low risk indoor places.
Other respiratory viruses, including flu, remain at low levels but are rising as we move into the autumn.
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BuDS’ calculations suggest that the Government’s official Impact Assessment for Lauren Edwards’ Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill may be underestimating the number of medically assisted suicides by nearly 400%. Another way of saying this is that we think the Government’s estimate is almost 4 times smaller than it should be.
To put this in terms of numbers, the Government estimate that around 6,257 people per year will die by assisted suicide once the Bill comes fully into force. Our estimate is that 21,600 people could die by assisted suicide every year.
This really matters. MPs must know that, if they vote for Lauren Edwards’ Bill, they likely are putting in place a massive institutionalised system for the assisted suicide of tens of thousands of British people. This is a completely different situation to that suggested by lobbyists and pro-suicide apologists, who persistently claim that only a few hundred people who are already very close to death will be affected by the Bill.
We urge everyone who opposes this Bill to share our data and calculations with their MP. MPs must know exactly what they are doing if they vote for this Bill.
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BuDS Disability Service has welcomed the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham’s decision to allow Ministers and Labour backbenchers to vote according to their conscience on Lauren Edwards’ Assisted Suicide Bill. This is the ‘kiss of death’ for this Bill.
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Covid infection levels in England have stabilised after recent increases. Infection levels remain historically lower, with 1 in every 1120 people in England now infected as of 23 August. The BuDS overall risk level remains Moderately Low.
Other respiratory viruses, including flu, remain at low levels but are rising as we move into the autumn. Precautions against catching Covid remain sensible and proportionate in some indoor areas, but levels are still sufficiently low for them not to be needed in all indoor places.
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Covid infection levels in England continue to rise, according to the latest data, and we have once again upgraded our advice about the precautions that are appropriate in different places in response to the greater infection risk.
That said, infection levels remain historically lower, with 1 in every 1120 people in England now infected as of 16 August. The BuDS overall risk level remains Moderately Low but is likely to rise to Moderate soon. Other respiratory viruses, including flu, remain at low levels but are also showing signs of a rise. It remains sensible and proportionate to take more precautions in some places now, but there is no need for alarm.
This update replaces the one issued on 19 August. That update included data only to 9 August, but this one uses the latest data to 16 August. Hopefully the NHS will resume its normal cycle of weekly data reporting as the holiday season ends.
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Covid infection levels in England continue to rise as the summer lull comes to an end. We have significantly upgraded our advice about the precautions that are appropriate in different places in response to this.
That said, infection levels remain historically lower, with 1 in every 1338 people in England now infected as of 9 August. The BuDS Covid infection risk level remains Moderately Low and other respiratory viruses remain at low levels. It is sensible and proportionate to take more precautions in some places now, but there is no need for alarm.
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Covid infection levels in England have jumped this week, although remaining at historically low levels. With 1 in every 1549 people in England now infected as of 2 August, we have increased the BuDS Covid infection risk level from Low to Moderately Low. Other respiratory viruses remain at low levels, but again there has been a very slight rise.
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