Long Covid and high death rate can’t be ignored

I was not a little upset to learn that one of our granddaughters caught Covid at school last week.

The problem is that our masters have given the distinct impression that the critical stages of the pandemic are over and done with, so kids can go back to school without risk of serious illness.

Sadly, it seems that very little has been done in the matter of long Covid.

I’m extremely unhappy with Blustering Boris - not that he’ll notice and, if he did, he wouldn’t care but while he boasts about the ‘fantastically successful’ vaccine programme, he ignores the fact that our death rate per capita is higher than that of any of our European neighbours.

But, heigh ho, everything’s going swimmingly.

‘Our masters have given the distinct impression that the critical stages of the pandemic are over and done with’

The government’s dream of a highly skilled, highly paid workforce, seems little more than a distant dream, particularly at a time when wages are being slashed in real terms and prices are rising, when the prospect of growing shortages looms near and there is an increasing need for foodbanks.

I have, too, another, serious, grievance. When I phoned Nasrin, my favourite Indian takeaway for a curry last Wednesday, the boss told me he was considering giving up his business which has been serving Ashford’s curry-lovers for over 35 years. The reason? He can no longer get the staff he needs.

I was sad, though not surprised, to see that the restaurant under the Travelodge in Elwick Place has closed. Not that Mrs B and I were ever likely to trot along and spend £178 on their six-course taster menu.

The reason the restaurant gave for closing was lack of trade due to Covid.

I would suggest that, while Covid might have had something to do with it, Ashford is not an up-market town.