During initial pandemic i lost count of number of journalists i spoke to who were frustrated that they had no or limited access to NHS institutions or staff (which was really due to central very controlling diktats from cabinet office/NHSE and oppressive news management)

it is in that environment that frontline staff were censured/censored/threatened for speaking out about issues like PPE or testing shortages (Lots of instances collated/reported by @theDA_UK) and where speculating and poorly informed rumour/conspiracy theories can thrive

unfairly maligned "mainstream media" (I am not talking about gob on a stick radio shock jocks or right wing OpEd hacks) did a fantastic job of explainers, fact checkers, investigative reporting, data journalism, challenge, human interest stories, without which we'd know far less

i am disappointed to see that many journalists on my timeline (including highly respected health/ science correspondents and great news reporters on local titles) are expressing frustration again that they can't get access and the figures they need.

Have we learnt nothing?

The minute people get into obsessional message control, the conspiracy theories and ill founded rumours thrive which is counter productive

And serially inept government comms has been as big a part of the pandemic story as inept policy