A statement supplied by the Wellcome Trust quoted director Jeremy Farrar as saying that hundreds of thousands are dying from Covid-19 every day; this should have been “every month” (“Global death toll passes 3 million as pandemic ‘grows at alarming rate’”, 18 April, page 10).
An article (“Just how accurate are rapid Covid tests?”, 18 April, the New Review, page 20) said “government data showed that the false positive rate for [lateral flow tests] since 8 March was 18%”. In fact, “false positive rate” refers to the proportion of people who are not infected but get a positive result, which would be 0.1%; we meant to say data showed “the percentage of positive results that are false” was 18%.
We incorrectly said that Centrica chief executive Chris O’Shea’s remuneration package “increased last year by more than £100,000” to £765,000. O’Shea was chief financial officer before becoming CEO in April 2020, with his total package increasing by £15,000 from 2019 to 2020 (“‘Fire and rehire’ tactics rife at workplaces that are in profit … and claiming Covid cash”, 18 April, page 15).
The price of the new Tesla Model Y is expected to start at around £45,000, not £24,600, as the panel accompanying an article about electric vehicles said (“How they compare”, 18 April, page 55).
Coverage of Prince Philip’s funeral said that “the Queen ruled the family would be in mourning dress rather than military uniform”; we meant to say “morning dress” (“William and Harry put on united front while a global audience watches”, 18 April, page 3).
Other recently amended articles include:
‘Being trans is not something you put on and take off. It’s part of who you are’
Writers grapple with rules of the imagination
Brexit vote sparked surge in Irish passports issued in Great Britain
Colombia’s cartels target Europe with cocaine, corruption and torture
Could Marine Le Pen finally triumph with her third tilt at French presidency?
Write to the Readers’ Editor, the Observer, York Way, London N1 9GU, email observer.readers@observer.co.uk, tel 020 3353 4736
