Complaint
A reader of this online article by the 大象传媒鈥檚 Health and Science Correspondent complained that the passage 鈥Cases of Covid have been climbing except for a lull over the October half-term.听 They are averaging at more than 40,000 a day and the R number - the average number of people each infected person passes the virus on to - is just above the crucial threshold of one, which means cases are growing鈥 was inaccurate, in that published statistics did not provide evidence of a half-term lull and that cases at the time of publication were not climbing but (in the words of the Chief Medical Officer) were 鈥渂roadly flat鈥.
Outcome
According to the Government鈥檚 Covid-19 dashboard, the 7-day moving average on 18 October was recorded at 47,463 daily cases. 听The figure gradually fell after that date, going as low as 34,296 on 5 November before rising back into the 40,000s from 12 November. 听In the ECU鈥檚 view this was consistent with the reference to 鈥渁 lull over the October half-term鈥, half-term for most schools being in the week beginning 25 October.听 However, the passage complained of gave the impression that the figure at the time of publication represented a rising trend overall, whereas the number of cases was slightly lower than before the half-term period.听 The ECU agreed that this was less than duly accurate.
听
Partly upheld
听
听
Further action
The passage was amended to read 鈥Cases of Covid were on the rise in the first half of October. Half-term caused a dip, before cases started to rise again."听 The finding was reported to the Board of 大象传媒 News and discussed with the Health and Science Correspondent.