Was spread due to the Cummings effect?
AS reported in the M.E.N., coronavirus admissions have risen in Greater Manchester for the last two weeks to be as high as they were in late April.
Deaths from coronavirus have risen in the last week.
Is this the ‘Cummings’ effect? His actions and the mixed messages from government causing others to believe that it’s acceptable to break the rules on lockdown and social distancing? There certainly was mass crowding on beaches and in parks for the weekend following the reporting of his trip and the following weekend.
Given that it takes five days or more for symptoms to appear, the rise in admissions would seem to indicate that this was the cause of the rise in numbers. Deaths rising this week would be a natural follow on.
I wonder if any other regions are having similar problems.
Dr Martin F. Seely, Worsley
Let’s get our town open
LAST week I queued up, at the designated social distance, to buy beer.
It struck me that the situation was absurd.
While this was happening people in London were protesting shoulder to shoulder. Is it one rule for us and one rule for them?
Where are our civic and business leaders when we need them?
We should be long-sighted in Stockport. I think it is for our civic and business leaders to lead and stand up for Stockport – and use the protests as a test case and keep a close eye on the Covid figures.
If in London there is no spike in a couple of weeks, then we should completely open up our economy. No ifs no buts.
If there is one in London, we need to do a ‘deep check’ of the local figures to see how far we can open up the Stockport economy.
We cannot continue as ‘one size fits all.’ And we cannot continue this state of affairs a moment longer than is needed.
Open the shops, the cafes, the pubs.
We can shield the vulnerable, ease those with lung/chest problems back into society and get people back to work.
Come on Stockport. What are we waiting for?
Let us eat, drink and be merry! John Abrams, Stockport
Young need a reality check
WE should be aware that the increase in the coronavirus R value in this region is very worrying. But what are the causes?
My view is that there are is a high proportion of younger people who could not care less about social distancing and who behave in a way which places the rest of us in danger of catching the virus and whose behaviour is the reason this region could face further lockdown measures.
Examples to support my view of breaches of social distancing rules are as follows:
Buile Hill Park in mid-May during the hot weather there were incidents of about 10 younger people in the tennis courts, two playing tennis and the rest chatting in a group. The tennis courts at the time were locked and signs advising the public the facility was closed placed on the gates.
Salford Quays in early June – again a hot day, about 100 young people were sat on the tiered steps leading to the water edge of the main lagoon. At first it looked an organised gathering for a swimming competition, but it wasn’t, it was just a large group breaching social distancing.
Being public-spirited and as advised by the government if a breach of the rules is noticed it is up to the public to report such incidents. So I used the online police reporting system. I received a reference of both reports.
Sadly I have not received any acknowledgments of what the police are doing to ensure further breaches in the rules at these locations do not occur again.
I think the police have a difficult job and rely on the public to report incidents of breaches of the rules. It is in everybody’s interest to work together and stay safe. People who break the rules put everyone at a disadvantage.
I believe Salford is a hot spot for breaches of the rules. I am sure we have all seen younger people riding bikes in large groups and walking in large groups.
What is it with these young people? Do they feel they cannot catch the virus and don’t they care about the older and more vulnerable generation?
It is about time those young people who disregard the rules had a reality check, so I would appreciate the media featuring an article to educate and change attitudes so the R value in this region falls to well below one.
Brian Bracegirdle, address supplied
Where has Boris gone?
THE present government instructions and advice on lockdown are completely unenforceable.
Every time we go out we see people not obeying social distancing, many are actually standing in groups. It will be a miracle if we ever recover from this pandemic.
The Cummings affair and demos have not helped and no one seems to be leading by example. In fact blatantly opposing any medical or scientific advice that is being given. Where is Boris Johnson? Never before can I remember such an elusive PM in a crisis.
All and sundry appearing on TV and nothing from the so-called Captain of the ship.
Jacqueline Ratcliffe, Salford