Carl Heneghan and Tom Jefferson

What Covid coverage gets wrong

(Photo: Getty)

Throughout the Covid pandemic, the BBC’s coverage has strictly followed what is now known as ‘official science’ – with journalists not asking questions, but just reporting what they are told. This has especially been the case when it comes to ignorance of existing research on respiratory viruses.

This week saw the BBC report on the latest fantastic revelation when it comes to Covid: that respiratory viruses, specifically SARS-CoV-2, ‘survive’ for days on certain types of surfaces and foodstuffs, from pastries to canned products.

The news comes from a Food Standard Agency laboratory study carried out using credible methods: viral cultures.

But the final paragraph of the study’s discussion page hints that something is not quite right:

‘The public may be interested in the finding that virus may persist in an infectious state, on foods and food packaging surfaces, for several days under certain common conditions.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in