Nobody questioned the validity of Covid back in March/April. We all remember being haunted by the images from Italy. Today we hand the “airwaves” over to the likes of Facebook as govt bans journalists from hospitals. Any argument, no matter how baseless or ridiculous, will

Perpetuate & flourish in the absence of a strong counter argument. Two things need to happen, immediately, 1) Facebook & other media platforms need to grow a backbone & flag up statements that have no factual basis. People are free to say & believe what they like, but ultimately

the truth is always the truth & a falsehood is always a falsehood. We could do worse than Allison Pearson’s editor benching her for a few weeks. Again, if he can’t tell what’s true & what isn’t he doesn’t deserve the privilege of the platform we give him.

2nd) The media need access to our hospitals now, to report what’s going on. If you hide the truth, or impede it in any way, what do you expect will fill that void? Truth doesn’t require political spinning. This is also a responsibility of the political classes. Your words

matter, dancing on the head of a pin helps no one. Own your truth & if you’re struggling/failing in your job admit it, don’t try to be judged on your own “alternative facts”. Diluted truth is just a lie in disguise. It causes confusion & fosters more conspiracy theories.

Lastly, don’t let this become another them & us culture. That division too fosters conspiracy theories. Let’s all engage with the truth. I’m always ok here spouting opinion. I try to support it with sources where I can but I’m sure I’m wrong 50% of the time. Challenge me. I have

no agenda, so I don’t need to defend my truth, I’m either right or wrong & if I’m wrong I welcome the opportunity to be educated.

I lay most blame for this mess to the feet of this govt. they have become so detached from the truth over recent years, they honestly believe they can spin any line & everything is a matter of perspective. I’ve never known a govt so regularly corrected by independent authorities.

Very last thing as an afterthought. We’re all entitled to opinion, even if it has no grounding in reality, it is in fact a right. But the other side of that coin is responsibility & that’s about how you give voice (or not) to said opinion. If you need that explained, defer to

the responsibility side of the coin, less to the opinion side.