22 October 2020
Letter to the Editor
Coronavirus in Oz.
From Richard Faulkner
Dear Sir
That is a great article and analysis by David Chilvers in Shaw Sheet 251. It demonstrates how statistics needs to separate out the components of data and investigate in a scientific manner the significance of each component and how each impacts on the whole. Mr Chilvers does show that your current rather “scattergun” approach (sort of panic reaction) is not the most promising way to go. Would many MP’s take notice of this? Over here in the distant Antipodes the phrase “Barmy Boris” has been used in a sort of affectionate way, but we have our own barmy pollies, notably “Chairman Dan” in charge of Victoria. He has Melbournians locked in their homes because of 5 new cases of the virus per day. What is that old phrase “using a sledge hammer to crack a nut”?
Richard Faulkner
PS There is no way we in Oz would have the detailed data that you have to make such an analysis as this. Also, our Uni students predominantly all learn (or don’t learn!) through online methods.
Tile photo:Ondrej Machart
