Media headlines.

[therower]

A little bit of a thought for anyone interested. Two headlines for you to ponder over.
A. 250,000 possible deaths in the UK as a result of coronavirus.

B. 0.5% of the UK population could die as a result of coronavirus.

So which of those two headlines creates the biggest concern, fear, OMG reaction within you. The feeling that you need to act and act positively and quickly. Emptying supermarket shelves maybe?


FYI. As of 2018 the population of the UK was 66.44 million.

 

[xfieldok]

I don't bother with them. The 25k is a worst case scenario.

I am more interested in the possibility of a cure in Australia. Hope it's not fake news.

 

[Rokaab]

To myself on first glance A looks scarier, but when you consider than 0.5% of 66.4 mill is 332k, B should be scarier - and that was 2018's population, not the population now.
I'm still not gonna empty shelves mind, I still don't understand the whole toilet roll thing!

 

[Robinredbreast]

A little bit of a thought for anyone interested. Two headlines for you to ponder over.
A. 250,000 possible deaths in the UK as a result of coronavirus.

B. 0.5% of the UK population could die as a result of coronavirus.

So which of those two headlines creates the biggest concern, fear, OMG reaction within you. The feeling that you need to act and act positively and quickly. Emptying supermarket shelves maybe?


FYI. As of 2018 the population of the UK was 66.44 million.

Thanks for posting, I tend to step back and try to keep calm and level headed, but at my local Morrisons, which is a 3/4 minute walk away, it was absolutely packed out at 9.50 this morning, couldn't even get a packet of gluten free pasta, as the shelf was empty.
A, is the biggie headline.

 

[xfieldok]

I have battoned down the the hatches. Online shopping is getting more difficult. I learned very quickly to keep away from the tabloids and click bait headlines.

If I get it, I am toast, and that's just not keto.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Real numbers have more impact that percentages.
As already posted, the percentage gives 332,200 which is the higher of the two figures.
This is the total population of Sunderland.
A complete city wiped out!

However percentages give a better broad brush feel.
A 0.5% risk feels very low.
One in every 200 so possibly nobody in our street.
Or village is you live somewhere remote.

 

[therower]

@LittleGreyCat . My point is that “ real “ numbers create more of the panic we are currently seeing in the country.
The media are fuelling the problem.

 

[xfieldok]

@LittleGreyCat . My point is that “ real “ numbers create more of the panic we are currently seeing in the country.
The media are fuelling the problem.

Don't they always?

 

[therower]

Don't they always?

Unfortunately yes.

 

[Barb McD]

Is it unnecessary panic? Personally I tick all the boxes except over 70. Being prepared is our right. Preparing by stockpiling may not be how I choose to be prepared, however, what else can we expect from media/print/net hacks and journalists? It’s a consumerist capitalist society, so distraction is applied - so we panic and spend. Herds (a government term) act as herds.

And that’s all she wrote