This summary uses Twitter data collected throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, as described in a BMJ Opinion blog. I plan to list the 3 most retweeted tweets each day using the #covid19uk hashtag from 20 March 2020 onwards, to act as a diary of lockdown, collecting views from across the UK. 
I have refined my approaches over time. I download data automatically every hour, save the data every Tuesday morning, and produce a social network map of these tweets every Thursday/ Friday to allow the later tweets to accrue further retweets. A few weeks later I re-extract data from the 100 most popular tweets per day (ranked by number of retweets) and select the 3 posts for each day with the most retweets by this point. This gives time for viral tweets to gather momentum, but also means that some spam/ troll farm type posts are sifted out as posts and accounts are deleted.
The summary captures views across the political spectrum. There is an accompanying PDF version of these summaries, collecting a month or more of tweets at a time (much longer periods do not appear to work properly). These PDF versions are permanent records of tweets that should continue to work even if accounts delete posts or leave Twitter. Click on the date at the bottom left of each tweet in the PDF summary to view the full tweet. 
I am a doctor working in the NHS. I strongly support public health and clinical measures to reduce spread of infection, including strict observation of rules around physical distancing, masks and testing, and the widespread uptake of vaccination. 
There are posts included here that are clearly from a different viewpoint. Many of these opinions are easily refuted, but some have gained considerably publicity. There are other posts that are clearly using the hashtag to promote their political viewpoints rather than post useful information about the pandemic. 
Some of the tweets posted here are from anonymous accounts. In reading these tweets I would draw a distinction between different types of anonymous tweeting. There are important points made in a satirical way by parody accounts. There are whistleblower type accounts that appear to provide insider information that is often then backed up by subsequent reporting and data (but not always). And then there are the coronavirus doubters who post dangerous views casting doubt about well established approaches to reducing risk (e.g. around mask wearing in public spaces, the accuracy of data). Some in the latter group have become more more prominent during the pandemic and some of these accounts share characteristics of troll farms. Their posts help to understand how conspiracy theories are generated and disseminated. The information collected by NodeXL will help to study their followers further and may well demonstrate troll farm techniques used to promote some of the negative messaging here. 
There are 126 tweets listed chronologically below - 3 from each day from 20 March to 30 April. Many make depressing reading as - at the time of preparing this summary - we are heading towards a Christmas with rising cases and further restrictions. Once again we are facing packed hospitals, frontline workers putting themselves at risk for others, shortages in the shops, and the hardships of furlough, unemployment and loneliness. Hopefully the power of community spirit, collective action to reduce the spread and minimise hardship, better treatments and vaccination will give us grounds for optimism in 2021. 
Part 2 (May 2020) available here.

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