Day: 5 October 2021

A summary of all the most interesting stories that have appeared about politicians’ efforts to control the virus — and other acts of hubris and folly – not just in Britain, but around the world.

Mark Drakeford's plans to mandate vaccine passports for nightclubs and other 'large' events have passed through the Welsh Senedd after a Zoom failure prevented a Tory MS from casting his vote.

No matter how often he's wrong, Professor Neil Ferguson is still making the rounds of broadcasting studios and the parliamentary estate brandishing his crystal ball. Click here for Mystic Meg's latest doom-mongering.

Researchers believe that "abnormal" purchases of PCR lab equipment in Wuhan in the summer of 2019 suggest Covid was spreading "virulently" in the city far earlier than was previously thought.

Almost 12,000 women in the U.K. were living with undiagnosed breast cancer in May this year, according to new analysis – and screening for the disease is still below pre-lockdown levels.

Sajid Javid says there are currently no good reasons to introduce vaccine passports, but concedes that his comments do not mean "there can’t ever be a role for such an intervention".

For months, we’ve been treated to morbid ‘daily death numbers’ – but for only one cause of death. Perhaps if these figures had been reported for all causes of death, people’s risk perceptions would be less skewed.

In this week’s London Calling, the talking points are the recent easing of travel restrictions (unless you’re unvaccinated), unsuccessful stalking adventures, the new Sharpe novel and Irwin Shaw’s Young Lions.