TikTok covid predictor’s luck runs out

3 minute read

RedHerring The Back Page

By

Felicity Nelson

The comedian scooping Gladdy’s presser each day has finally got the covid numbers wrong.

The comedian scooping Gladdy’s presser each day has finally got the covid numbers wrong.

TikTok personality Jon-Bernard Kairouz has been delighting fans for the past five days day by accurately predicting the number of daily covid cases in NSW via viral comedic videos. 

On Sunday night, however, the online oracle’s luck ran out when he predicted the daily case rate would be 109 but the figure reported at the 11am press conference was actually 98. 

Rumours had circulated online that Mr Kairouz was being leaked the numbers from a source inside the NSW Health Department.

The NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard denied that a “sting” operation had taken place to catch the leaker, but confirmed that the issue had been looked into. 

Mr Hazzard adopted his best disappointed parent tone to inform those listening that a TikTok comedian was not the most appropriate person to be making commentary about the latest covid stats. 

“Can I just say, it was a disappointment something as serious as our messaging to the community in a one-in-100-year pandemic that clearly someone, somewhere in the system was feeling the need to disclose those figures to somebody who was not an appropriate person to be making commentary about it,” he said.

“Health looked at the issues around that. I saw someone saying on social media that it was a sting, no it wasn’t.

“It was looking at what the issues were and making sure that the system was such that the information could be kept to the appropriate time.”

“In terms of us giving the important message which goes out at 11 o’clock each day in a way that the community understands the significance of what we are asking people to do, to keep people safe,” he said.

Mr Kairouz maintains his accurate predictions were a result of “basic maths”. 

In response to criticism that he was perhaps not taking the pandemic seriously enough, he said, “Look, I can’t help it. I went to a school for the gifted. I boarded there for a number of years and it was run by Professor Xavier and Hugh Jackman. So, I’m just giving my gift to society, and I hope that getting the numbers a bit earlier is giving them a new lease on how these numbers are given out.”

The comedian also posted the following press release on Twitter:

As an oracle, Kairouz is about on par with Paul the Octopus, who rose to fame after correctly predicting the winner of 2010 World Cup. 

If you see something stupid, say something stupid. Send your predictions to felicity@medicalrepublic.com.au.

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