Stop living in fear

I AGRee with Richard Littlejohn’s thoughts on Britain’s painfully slow progress out of lockdown (mail).

Why are Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, and Professor Chris Whitty, Chief medical officer for england, keeping us in fear of Covid?

our vaccine programme is on track to protect us all, the infection rate is falling, yet our hospitality and holiday industries are being brought to their knees.

to give a more balanced picture of the risks we all face, can we not be told the daily death toll from heart attacks, cancer, traffic accidents and domestic violence?

Covid is not the only thing that is a threat to our wellbeing, yet government advisers seem to think we should live in fear of it indefinitely.

KIM LEWIS, Hucclecote, Glos. ‘CALL this freedom (mail)?’

no, I call it reality when fighting an epidemic that is causing havoc across the world.

PHILIP MuNRO, Manchester.

Glass half full

oPInIonS about the easing of restrictions tend to depend on whether you regard the roadmap rollout as a glass half full or a glass half empty.

unlike those who feel it is too slow, I think the cautious easing of restrictions is sensible and welcome. there is tangible evidence that our freedoms are returning.

I’m sure that most of europe, facing new lockdown restrictions due to a third wave of infections, would gladly change places with our fast-reducing hospital admissions and deaths.

don’t moan about the balanced way we can, and should, safely return to normality.

Quickly and recklessly abandoning all of the restrictions would undo the progress we have made and put us back into lockdown.

BARRY DIXON, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. PeoPLe are complaining that this country is becoming a dictatorship or a nanny state and that our freedoms are being eroded.

I thought we were in the middle of a pandemic and that the Government was doing its best to protect us and keep us safe.

JuLIA HARRINGTON, Folkestone, Kent.

Small sacrifice

I don’t understand why so many people object to the idea of showing proof of vaccination when attending public events.

We are lucky to have had a swift rollout of vaccines and it is no hardship to show proof of this.

People who are unable to have the vaccine for medical reasons could show proof of exemption.

If people choose not to have the vaccine, that is their choice, but they should not be allowed to put others at risk by attending crowded places.

We need to get the economy going again. I feel it is a small sacrifice to pay to avoid further outbreaks.

J. SMYTH, Bath.

Step by step

I CAn’t believe the stupidity of opposing vaccine passports. this killer disease is spreading throughout the world at an alarming rate and has every chance of producing a third wave here when lockdown restrictions are eased.

We need to get the economy moving again, but if we can ease the way so people can dine and drink safely in restaurants and pubs, even if just for a limited period until everyone has been vaccinated, that must be the sensible approach.

masks, social distancing and vaccine passports should be mandatory until we have wiped out this nightmare disease. Remember, it only took one person in Wuhan to infect the world.

ROBERT BERRY, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham.

Yes to vaccine passport

I don’t believe the vast majority of the public have a problem with carrying proof of vaccination, a recent negative Covid test or even a formal identity card.

these things will help to keep us safe from the ignorant minority who refuse to follow advice.

Such measures are not draconian and would have little real impact on the lives of most citizens.

As usual the Liberal Left is putting the interests of minority groups ahead of those of the general public with ridiculous cries of ‘police state’ and ‘Big Brother’.

neither do I agree that in the midst of a pandemic, the majority of British families are desperate to escape on holiday to foreign countries that are still in lockdown.

CHRIS TAYLOR, Yateley, Hants.

Reclaim our freedom

We’Ve endured a year of complying with ever- changing and stricter restrictions, with the promise that all legal limits on social contact will be lifted on June 21 and life will return to normal.

However, this so- called freedom comes with so many strings that we are still going to be puppets controlled by the Government’s scientific advisers hell-bent on eradicating infections, regardless of the damage to jobs, education and the economy.

What is normal about being asked to produce medical evidence that you aren’t a risk to others and having to give all your contact details before you are able to eat or drink outside your home?

What is normal about having two Covid tests each week?

It’s time to reclaim our freedom and get on with our lives.

HELEN TONKS, Newton Abbot, Devon.

State interference

I’Ve previously supported the Government over its approach to the Covid disaster, but no longer.

the jab was supposed to be our way out, but it appears that the goalposts have been moved with vaccination passports and twiceweekly tests. It’s become all about government control.

the nHS is no longer at risk of being overwhelmed, so there should be no further state interference in our rights, freedoms and liberties.

MICHAEL BISHOP, Newton Abbot, Devon. WItH reservations, I supported vaccine passports to help re- open society. now, though, Boris has warned it’s not enough to have had both jabs.

So how can vaccine passports allow people to mix in large numbers in pubs, restaurants, clubs, cinemas, theatres and sport venues?

Mrs AuDREY SHAW, Deeping St James, Lincs.

Poised for a pint

I’m deLIGHted pub beer gardens are re-opening on monday. We must all support our local. mine is the new Finney Gardens in Bucknall where

the managers Sam Page and Lindsay Tate have been busy painting the garden tables and putting up a marquee.

I’ve booked a table for a twohour slot — a few pints of Pedigree will go down well!

P. A. BALL, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.

Failing our children

IT’S disgraceful that 200,000 children are starting secondary education at 11 not able to read (Mail).

My father, living in grim conditions in a poor part of London, left school at 14 but could spell, write in copperplate and had mastered mental arithmetic, our kings and queens and had a solid grasp of geography. That was all learned using a slate and chalk on his knees.

Why are today’s schools making such a pig’s ear of it?

TONY CLARK, Leicester. WHAT have primary schools been doing? I could read by the age of seven. Was I a genius? No, I was taught properly, as was everyone else at my school in the 1950s.

JAMES MURRAY, Bury, Gtr Manchester.

Radio 3’s wrong note

WHY is Radio 3 insisting on featuring non-classical music? Rap isn’t music, it’s a tuneless, ranting protest.

Radios 1, 2 and 3 are categorised according to musical taste. Giving a sop to Radio 1 listeners on Radio 3 is pointless, as it won’t attract new fans but will infuriate its usual listeners.

ANTONY DEAN, Keighley, W. Yorks. THERE is controversy over Radio 3’s decision to play pop and rap music, such as Justin Bieber and Kanye West, as part of its Tearjerker series on Saturday mornings.

It claims it is ‘pleasing a hugely diverse audience’, but who on earth would tune into Radio 3 for this music? Miss F. M. LATTY, East Bridgford, Notts.

Take rubbish home

WHILE I applaud the many people who give up their time to clear up rubbish left behind in parks and on beaches, I am angry this is necessary.

It’s up to parents and schools to set an example to children. I was taught to pick up litter after a picnic or outing, put it in a bag and take it home.

The popularity of takeaways has meant street litter bins are not big enough to cope with all the food containers and cardboard coffee cups.

Driving to Brighton, I was appalled at the litter of every type on the grass verges and in the hedges. How can drivers and their passengers throw bottles and plastic bags out of car windows?

SARA QUILLAN, Worthing, W. Sussex.

Fab Four canary

I LOVED the picture of The Beatles mop- top canary (Letters). Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

But with such a funky fringe, how does it peek out — with a little help from its friends?

It seems chirpy enough, so let it be, all its troubles will be far away.

AMANDA YATES, Newcastle upon Tyne.