Today’s figures, 29th September, for positive confirmed tests in Scotland show only Shetland where there have been no new cases.
Orkney’s official total now stands at 23 positive Covid test results. Cumulative totals
There were 806 new cases which is 11.5% of positive tests.
The best way to limit the spread of this highly infectious virus which can result in death or life changing health implications is to remember FACTS
It is possible to get through this if we adhere to the advice.
And if you are anxious please remember there is help and support at https://clearyourhead.scot/
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I think it is time to adjust the wording in media reports. If a region reports no new cases on any given day, this only means that no cases were detected that day. We all know that the testing regime leaves much to be desired and asymptomatic or presymptomatic carriers are normally not tested (due to a lack of resources). Some people may feel a false sense of safety as a consequence of ‘no new cases’ reports. This is palpable: some Orkney folk still are not taking masks and/or physically distancing seriously. How often have I heard some pretty naive comments when insisting on several meters of physical distance… ‘oh, don’t worry, I am not ill, I am healthy’. Well, exactly this is the danger. Someone who feels under the weather will probably stay at home, tucked up in bed with a cuppa and not come near anyone. But an asymptomatic carrier will go about daily activities, will neither be tested nor remain at home. He/she could be a ‘case’ without anyone – including themselves – knowing. And could pass the disease on to someone vulnerable who may suffer a very dismal outcome.
Folks, it is a virtue to act reasonable driven by a sense of responsibility for and solidarity with others!
Only because the Isles report low numbers it doesn’t mean there are no risks.
We are fortunate and have enough space around us to keep safe distances quite easily, let’s be grateful for that.
Again this case was found and isolated in the scottish central belt but with an orkney address.
The previous 2 ‘orkney’ cases were the same.
There will probably more such cases, like students from Orkney who are now stuck at university accommodation halls etc.
Still, if there are no locally (in Orkney) detected cases, it doesn’t mean that there actually are none.
It works both ways. If a person is in Orkney as a visitor or for work and they test positive then that result is counted where they are registered.
Obviously it works both ways. But these technical details are just a (normal) part of any such system. The crux of this disease is that we simply do not detect all infections as long as we have to restrict testing resources so dramatically. The number of tests (or ideally the number of tested persons minus repeat tests for health and care staff) would at least give us some (very rough) idea of the suspected dynamics in Orkney’s communities. But unfortunately NHS Orkney just throws a number of weekly tests on their website, regularly with considerable delay and with no information from which anyone could conclude anything.
My plea to the media is simple: if a report says, no confirmed cases, this probably comes closer to the truth than saying no cases. Sometimes it is just the wording which makes a difference.