Richard Wenstone

England's Covid wave recedes but is replaced by flu Making Sense explores how evidence and data can help us make sense of the world — from the NHS and Covid to science, democracy and politics. Christina Pagel is a Professor of Operational Research at...

Covid in England is definitely on the way down, but Flu is on the way up - and over a month early.

My latest substack
open.substack.com/pub/christin...

www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

“I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time — when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what’s true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness. The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media — the 30-second sound bite (now down to 10 seconds kind of celebration of ignorance.”

But some very nice cloud patterns today! (RIver Mersey).

Thanks. Had spotted that but the info was a little vague.

Are there any more details regarding when, and where. the NHS Galleri trial will be published?

UKHSA Virus Watch graphic displaying data for 6 to 12 October 2025. Flu section marked “Increased at baseline levels”. Hospitalisations: This week 1.27 per 100,000, last week 0.73. Positive tests: This week 5%, last week 3.3%. COVID-19 section marked “Decreased at medium levels”. Hospitalisations: This week 4.09 per 100,000, last week 4.50. Positive tests: This week 12%, last week 13.1%. RSV section marked “Increased at baseline levels”. Hospitalisations: This week 0.18 per 100,000, last week 0.14. Positive tests: This week 1.1%, last week 0.6%. Data from 6 October to 12 October 2025. Source: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report.

Our infographic shows the number of hospitalisations and positive tests compared to last week for each virus. If you want even more detail, read the full report below. 🔎
🔗 www.gov.uk/government/s...

Starmer urges UK students not to protest as Israel marks two years since 7 October attacks - live updates The UK PM describes pro-Palestinian rallies, planned to mark the second anniversary of Hamas's attack on Israel, as

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cj...

There's a separate criminal case still pending...

And, oh the irony of someone who was elevated to the House of Lords complaining about The Establishment!

Brighton praised for emotional yet heartfelt video with important message raising awareness - Fan Banter Brighton have been praised for an emotional yet heartfelt video published with an important message raising awareness. The club are part of a new national mental health campaign, supporting Together A...

Excellent initiative.

fanbanter.co.uk/brighton-pra...

Oops typo, LillibulleRo!

@evanhd.bsky.social Loved the PM item about which alarm sound to wake up to. My personal goto alarm has, for a very long time, been the World Service intro "This is London" followed by "Lillibulleto"!

שנה טובה

🚨 NEW: Britain’s most powerful people are still 5x more likely to have been privately educated than the general population.

Our brand-new research reveals that jobs in the media, business, charity, creative and public sectors remain dominated by those from private schools ⤵️🧵

Dear white van driver,
we know you like to flytip.

So much so, you did it 4 times in your favourite spot in Kensington.

Thanks to your bad habits, our enforcement officers have your van.
See you in court.

Yours,

Liverpool City Council

#KeepLiverpoolTidy

liverpool.gov.uk/.../rubbish-...

So glad I resigned from the BMA.

Sir John Curtice: How Reform's capture of the Brexit vote could be enough to win an election The party has now been ahead in the polls for five months, but can it keep the momentum?

BBC News - Sir John Curtice: How Reform's capture of the Brexit vote could be enough to win an election - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

RFK Jr facing the Senate Finance Committee is the best show to come out of the USA in a long time.
But don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Copy of the Metro front page with the headline “they think itch all over”.

Ok, the Metro wins the competition for best chickenpox vaccine headline!

The Truth About Immigration, Refugees and People Seeking Asylum  - Liverpool Express There are lots of discussions about migration in our country at the moment – but sadly not all of it is well-informed.   Council Leader, Cllr Liam

lpoolcouncil.info/BeInformed

Just finished reading "Foreign Bodies" by Simon Schama, a fantastic history of Man versus Microbe and the men and women in the vanguard of that battle. Thoroughly recommended!

🚘 NEW RESEARCH | What do people in Britain really want from transport? From safer streets to better buses, the public’s priorities are clear and they’re ready for change. Read our new research with @moreincommonuk.bsky.social ippr.org/articles/everyday-concerns-what-people-want-from-transport

Energy in Britain has gotten scarce—and thus expensive.

Prices are high in absolute terms, and further above the European average than any point in at least 40 years (barring the 22/23 shock).

What's behind this, and is it crimping growth? I took a look for @economist.com. (🧵)

It's the Guns. America is the only rich democracy that features the routine mass slaughter of its citizens with guns. Why does this happen? The data show a really clear picture: It's the guns. Yes, it's that simple.

It's the Guns.
www.forkingpaths.co/p/its-the-gu...

Just finished reading "How to Expected the Unexpected" by @kityates.bsky.social
Thoroughly recommended!

Football-related arrests and banning orders, England and Wales: 2024 to 2025 domestic football season

Interesting resource!

www.gov.uk/government/s...

9 hrs from Lakes to Liverpool, usually 2 hrs!

Travelled about 5 miles on the M6 south in the last 5 hours and still just crawling along. Awful.

www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/he...