What the papers said in the week ending 24 July 2021
We have endured a week of revelations about the inappropriate use of a hacking system – the rich, famous and powerful have been compromised – we are all at risk from snoopers. Revealed: leak uncovers global abuse of cyber-surveillance weapon | Surveillance | The Guardian
There are signs that the ‘nettle’ of social care funding is being thought about – Though gripping it firmly seems to be something which people are fearful about – so decisions are being put off again. The pain continues. Ministers mull national insurance rise to fund social care | Social care | The Guardian
- We can fund social care without raising national insurance | Letters | The Guardian
- Boris Johnson to delay social care reform plans until autumn | Social care | The Guardian
July 19th came and went – the decision to end most of the restrictions which have been designed to moderate the spread of covid-19 and its variants was upheld/not withdrawn. The number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths were rising and have continued to rise. These are worrying times, especially for the vulnerable – This includes older people Boris Johnson’s ‘freedom day’ isolation tells us the virus is everywhere | Polly Toynbee | The Guardian
- Freedom means nothing when Covid cases are soaring | Letters | The Guardian
- I work in an NHS Covid ward – and I feel so angry | Anonymous | The Guardian
We have known for some time that care home residents suffered and died more than anyone else from the start of the infection, and this phenomenon is ongoing. We now have specifics of where and which homes were most affected. Lessons have been learned – but the major message about funding and training for sufficiency of staffing is not being acted on Dozens of English care homes lost at least 20 residents to Covid, data shows | Coronavirus | The Guardian
The global count of extra deaths leaves more children facing a lifetime without a parent or grandparent – the implications of this are coming home – Covid has caused ‘hidden pandemic of orphanhood’, says global study | Coronavirus | The Guardian
The system which informs a mobile phone when they have been near to a person found to be covid positive is a marvellous thing – but its workings show just how integrated society is and how difficult it is to avoid being near a covid positive individual – A requirement that everyone ‘pinged’ self-isolate is halting the wheels of commerce and more ‘Pingdemic’ effect: how different sectors in England have been hit | Coronavirus | The Guardian
At this time of extra need it is puzzling and alarming to learn that there are proposals to reduce investment in public health: UK public services face cuts of up to £17bn, says IFS | Institute for Fiscal Studies | The Guardian
It is not in keeping with the public mood to require that increases in pay to healthcare staff be drawn from the funds required to provide health services Ministers force NHS England to cover part of 3% staff pay rise | NHS | The Guardian
Good and poor health are not equally distributed – we learn that people living in coastal towns are more unwell than most – even when the analysis controls for age: English coastal towns have some of country’s worst health, report says | Health | The Guardian
More woe:
Laws to protect government secrets are thought to have hazards for freedom: How a proposed secrecy law would recast journalism as spying | Duncan Campbell and Duncan Campbell | The Guardian
Liverpool is now judged to have lost its claim to heritage status because recent developments have changed the waterfront – and Stonehenge may also lose its recognition if planned for a tunnel go ahead Stonehenge could lose world heritage status if £1.7bn road tunnel goes ahead (inews.co.uk)
Extreme weather is with us in England – extraordinary heat producing dangers to life: Met Office issues first ever extreme heat warning for UK | UK weather | The Guardian
Some joys:
Rich individual declare themselves happy to have experienced space flight Jeff Bezos hails ‘best day ever’ after successful Blue Origin space flight | Jeff Bezos | The Guardian
The British Museum will soon be able to show exquisite originals of drawings: Boundless invention’: British Museum to show more than 100 unseen Hokusai works | Art | The Guardian
Leicester has a new flag featuring a fox: Leicestershire becomes final English county to adopt an official flag | Leicester | The Guardian
Innocent post masters and mistresses, wrongly convicted on the flawed say-so of a computer, are to receive interim compensation- and hopefully a full suitable recompense eventually Wrongly convicted Post Office workers to get up to £100,000 interim payouts | Post Office | The Guardian
Never give up: the wonderful story of Jay Blades progress against the odds, gives encouragement to many – Age is not a barrier: The Repair Shop star Jay Blades to explore his ‘toughest challenge’ | East London and West Essex Guardian Series (guardian-series.co.uk)
David Jolley
