The BBC “Superflu” Contradiction

Why let the facts get in the way of a good story

In response to the “Superflu” story, Helen McArdle pointed out the stark contradiction between the BBC’s position and its commentators on the 9th of November and the 20th of December.

James Gallagher, BBC News:

9th November: New flu virus mutation could see ‘worst season in a decade‘. These are not Covid-style lockdowns, but short-term measures the country uses to disrupt the spread of the virus.

20th December: But a “broadly typical flu season” is probably not the sense you’d get from watching or reading the news. Statistical artistry was used to compare an early flu season to one that started much later, allowing claims of flu cases being “an incredible 10 times higher” than in 2023.

Prof Chris Fraser, Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford:

9th November: “It’s highly likely it’s going to be a bad flu season, and it’s going to happen quite soon - we’re already well into it,” ….” There are indicators that this could be worse than some of the flu seasons we’ve seen in the …