Online voices

STORY:

Sunderland's weekly coronavirus rate continues to rise with 700% leap in positive tests.

Bob Langley: 700% of a low base is not a lot. Increased testing. Younger people testing positive. Those on ventilators in hospital and dying are still very low. About time they printed the recovery rates to balance the fear factor.

Eunice Bowles-Roberts:

It is an increase of positive cases ie the people who carry the virus which can infect and kill particularly older and more vulnerable people.

Rachael Louise Robson:

It’s not an increase, most people don’t know they have it they have mild or no symptoms at all there’s an increase due to testing no increase in the virus itself.

Donna Hodgson: Here we go again, drama queens, slightest sniffle and they’re panicking, running for a test, it is the start of weather change and people do get colds.

Gail Seymour Elliott:

If you have the slightest symptom, some of which resemble the common cold, people should get tested. If it's positive, stay home and isolate and if it's negative, you know you're OK to continue with your life, in a responsible manner, without putting others at risk.

Peter Cresswell: What is this ridiculous obsession with the death rate?

When that rises it is too late to take action. Look at it this way: A positive test results in that person self isolating - meaning that it is not spread to others. A large number of positive tests leads to restrictions on movement.

The majority of positive tests have been in younger age groups - ie those most likely to suffer mild or no symptoms. Net result? Less deaths. It is working!

Gemma Louise Bellenie:

Test don't accomplish nothing as people who have it has already been passing it on. so no point waste of money and resources tbh. It doesn't stop it. Just makes people worry more.

Steve Dev: Healthy people need to stop getting tested so they can't use the figures to lock us up.

Lyn Cooper: Let’s stop testing then we can all live in ignorance and go around infecting people without a care.