We flattened the sombrero, now allow us to rescue our livelihoods

sir – We now have roughly one person per 100,000 becoming infected each day in England. Most of these are asymptomatic and are only detected due to increased testing. Hospital admissions and people requiring ventilation are thankfully still in remission. This is not a second wave.

We have better treatments, more intensive-care capacity, better testing. We are in a better place than we were at the end of March. We have flattened the sombrero.

We may never get a vaccine, and without one the only real hope of defeating the beast is by herd immunity.

It is the economy and the thousands of small businesses that are now in need of life support.

Surely Boris Johnson should be allowing life to return to normal and the economy to recover until such time as we have real evidence of a second wave through increased hospitalisations. We have already shown how effectively we can lock down when we really have to. Now is the time for brave leadership, not the current group-think middle-ground shambles that is serving nobody.

Philip Collison

Terrington St Clement, Norfolk

sir – As a healthy incipient 70-yearold, I now wake every morning in fear – not from the Covid-19 virus, but from what the Government is reported to be planning to curb my civil liberties.

Robert Taylor

Ruddington, Nottinghamshire

sir – I attended church this week and last without a mask. Next Sunday I will have to wear one. This is yet another edict that does not make sense.

Deirdre Lay

Cranleigh, Surrey

sir – Why should the solution to the increase in coronavirus cases be to confine the over-50s to their homes?

A photograph in the Telegraph yesterday showed a “scuffle” at a bar in Brighton. Social distancing seemed to be ignored. More tellingly, I couldn’t see a single person who appeared to be over 50. Why should the over-50s be penalised for the selfish behaviour of younger members of the community?

John Newbury

Warminster, Wiltshire

sir – In April I stayed at home, but in recent months I have been taking a daily walk. As a result, I have lost weight, my legs and heart are stronger, enabling me to do more for myself, and I am mentally more alert.

Surely we should not lose these benefits because of the behaviour of younger people.

Jean Gourvenec

St Albans, Hertfordshire

sir – In 1914, people were told that the war would be over by Christmas. It lasted another four years.

A few weeks ago, we were told that things would be back to normal by Christmas. I hope that Covid-19 does not last another four years.

Miles Garnett

South Otterington, North Yorkshire