Shutting down is almost a certainty

ANOTHER national lockdown looks inevitable, particularly if festive family gatherings prove as disastrous as many fear.

In the North, the numbers of patients with Covid are falling.

But we are seeing a rise to normal winter levels of other illnesses. And we have found the length of time people stay in hospital has, for some, doubled over the past six to nine months.

Of course, the areas that really notice the strain, apart from the patients themselves, are the acute medical units, emergency departments and ambulance crews.

I suspect many, many trusts have cancelled activity of some sort, perhaps routine clinics or procedures, but much of this will not yet be reflected in statistics.

Although Health Secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday that hospitals are less full than this week last year, I suspect he does not understand the reality of juggling bed spaces in the Covid-19 era.

The lack of a clear plan from the Government is disturbing. Politicians seem to want to take a chance on everyone “doing the right thing”.

The four-day weekend followed a few days later by a three-day break will see hospitals fill up as they do every year, but now with added inertia as exhausted staff are asked to go yet another extra mile. A festive period with families mixing strikes fear into the hearts of clinicians on the front line. We urge people to see past the confusion and take whatever precautions they can.