Heroes who are risking lives and helping others

Coronavirus is a world problem and a local one, arguably on a scale with the flu epidemic 100 years ago which caused more deaths than the First World War. Even as I write this, the situation changes. By the time it goes to print, it will have changed again.

Let’s deal with the irresponsible first. The panic buying of loo rolls is utterly illogical. Covid-19 does not give you diarrhoea! Sadly our irresponsible behaviour goes way beyond that. We need to stop the disease from spreading. Closing schools and self isolation will help. So, of course, will handwashing. But to some extent this is closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

The government should have been honest about face masks. Wearing a face mask will not stop you from catching the disease but it will help you to stop spreading it. The virus lives on droplets from a cough or sneeze and masks are really important. Look how the spread of disease is now slowing in China. People are wearing masks!

If the government thinks it can get Rolls Royce and JCB to start churning out highly sophisticated anaesthetic machines then they ought to be able to find somebody to produce a few million simple face masks. They might even manage enough slightly more sophisticated protective gear for all NHS and care staff, not to mention coronavirus testing kits.

For days the government told us not to go out and meet in groups yet incredibly it told the pubs clubs and cafes to stay open. So to make a quick buck some encouraged the crowds in. The St Patricks Day celebrations saw huge numbers of people unwittingly passing on coronavirus to one another and then spreading it around the wider community. This was shocking behaviour by premises putting profit before people. Thank heavens the government finally put a stop to it. What is sad is that the more responsible premises now have to pay the penalty for the bad behaviour of the few.

At least it seems that those now laid off will get some pay thanks to government intervention, even if it is currently unclear how quickly this will happen. Hopefully this will mean most businesses will survive. But it