Cunning plan for Covid a long time coming

Why, when it comes to the pandemic at least, does our government always set out to play catch-up?

Last Wednesday evening, Sajid Javid made an announcement on TV to tell us that the government has decided to do nothing about the increasing infections, hospitalizations and deaths associated with the Covid pandemic.

He told us that the government had formed a cunning ‘plan B’, which they had decided not to put into operation. Forgive me if

I’m sounding stupid to you, but wasn’t a dominant factor in the Covid strategy a consideration of the amount of strain on the NHS? And doesn’t every spokesperson from the NHS tell us that they’re stretched to their limit? And aren’t we told that matters are likely to get worse once the flu season takes hold?

Mr Javid’s line was to the effect that people will be sensible and don masks in enclosed spaces, observe social distancing and work from home as much as possible. Hasn’t he noticed that people aren’t doing that?

Isn’t he aware that, even in the House of Commons, more than half the MPs sit close together and are maskless?

Hopefully, by the time this goes to print, the catchup point will have been reached and we will again be instructed to keep ourselves and each other as safe as possible.

Forgive me if I’m sounding stupid to you, but wasn’t a dominant factor in the Covid strategy a consideration of the amount of strain on the NHS?

Blundering Boris made a facile gibe in relation to the proposal to replace gas heaters with something more environmentally friendly.

He said ‘the Greenshirts of the Boiler Police are not going to kick in your door with their sandal-clad feet and seize, at carrot point, your trusty old combi.’

I confess to wearing a green cardigan and sandals and, although I don’t particularly like carrots, I’m most unlikely to hold anyone up at carrot-point.