Model and Dancing On Ice star Caprice Bourret has been slammed by frustrated Channel 5 viewers after arguing with a doctor about the best ways to contain coronavirus.
In a bizarre debate on The Jeremy Vine Show today (Monday, March 16), Caprice, 48, reeled off a number of facts she had read on the internet about the flu-like bug.
She appeared on the programme with GP Sarah Jarvis, clinical director of health information service Patient, and the pair clashed on a number of points – including the efficacy of wearing surgical masks.
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In response to the suggestion Caprice knew as much as health experts because of what she had read online, Dr Jarvis was clearly unimpressed as she said: “No disrespect, unless you have read every scientific paper and statistical modelling paper that’s come out, you cannot argue with me on that. You can have an opinion but it’s not a fact.”
Caprice replied: “But I can, I have an opinion. This is what I’ve read, let me tell you the facts. In Taiwan and Singapore, what they did, they early on… in week one, in February, everyone was wearing surgical masks…”
But at that, the GP interrupted her and said: “Which make no difference at all.”
Sarah is the expert, but go on.
Caprice then demanded that Dr Jarvis let her finish speaking, which prompted Jeremy to step in to cool the situation.
He said: “Alright, Sarah is the expert, but go on.”
Caprice was slammed for the exchange by exasperated viewers on Twitter.
One joked: “Caprice the professional ice dancer and now an expert virologist?”
Another said sarcastically: “I’d always consult a former model before a qualified Dr for advice on viral epidemics.”
A third demanded: “What on earth does Caprice know?”
Someone else, mocking the way Caprice pronounced the acronym for the World Health Organisation, wrote: “Sooo, Caprice got the information from an unnamed newspaper, which included comments from a spokesperson from WOO? Let’s start with the basics, it isn’t WOO, it is the World Health Organization also known as the WHO, and all three letters are pronounced.”
Caprice the professional ice dancer and now an expert virologist?
— O.Smith 💎 (@objectsmith) March 16, 2020
I’d always consult a former model before a qualified Dr for advice on viral epidemics 🙄
— Steve Bishop 🍻 (@Stevebi27465893) March 16, 2020
What on earth does Caprice know🙈🙈🙈🙈
— Dean Gordon (@mightybuffalo74) March 16, 2020
Sooo, Caprice got the information from an unnamed newspaper, which included comments from a spokesperson from WOO? Let’s start with the basics, it isn’t WOO, it is the World Health Organization also known as the WHO, and all three letters are pronounced.
— Deborah Creighton (@Creightondeb) March 16, 2020
Not everyone sided with Dr Jarvis, though, as one tweeted: Caprice is correct. The countries she is trying to mention learnt massively from SARS. They locked down early very little people have had to die and no new people are allowed in. It costs the government money so will be laughed away by capatilist countries such as US and UK
Jarvis an expert? She a statistician? Epidemiologist? What is she? Oh, she’s just a celebrity GP. The G stand for GENERAL. i.e., NOT an expert.
Caprice is correct. The countries she is trying to mention learnt massively from SARS. They locked down early very little people have had to die and no new people are allowed in. It costs the government money so will be laughed away by capatilist countries such as US and UK
— Simon Wood (@s1m0nw00d) March 16, 2020
Jarvis an expert? She a statistician? Epidemiologist? What is she? Oh, she’s just a celebrity GP. The G stand for GENERAL. i.e., NOT an expert.
The arrogance of the woman, laughing like a Tory with their nose in the trough.— Goff (@themightygoff) March 16, 2020
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The debate follows conflicting advice over taking ibuprofen to treat coronavirus.
On the NHS website, the over-the-counter medication is listen among the ways people have alleviate the symptoms of the flu-like bug.
But over the weekend, France’s health minister tweeted that the anti-inflammatory could actually aggravate the symptoms of Covid-19.
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