Wanted: verified scientific claims to make up for lost trust in politicians

sir – With another lockdown upon us, with half the country furious and the other half fearful, with deaths from other causes and economic hardship rising, and with debate raging about the validity of statistics and the honesty of politicians and scientists – now is the time for a pause and a reset.

Let’s put the blame game to one side, accept that mistakes have been made, and start with a clean slate.

We need an independent panel, perhaps of senior members of the judiciary and the medical profession, who – unlike politicians – are equipped to interrogate properly the Sage scientists about the assumptions and data on which their models are based.

Then we could all have confidence that life-changing decisions are being made without individual concerns about reputation or culpability – or, worse, political ambitions.

Howard Gray

Malmesbury, Wiltshire

sir – Vulnerable people will not have to shield during this new lockdown, because of concerns over loneliness and mental health. But the whole country is to be locked down, irrespective of the harm to the economy and health this will cause.

Supermarkets can sell alcohol, but not pubs and restaurants that arrange takeaways and depend on sales if they are to avoid closure.

These measures are inconsistent, ill-thought-through and unworthy of a liberal, freedom-loving, pro-business Conservative Government, which has, sadly, lost its way.

Jennie Naylor

East Preston, West Sussex sir – I see no point in the Government seeking to protect our lives if it leaves us with nothing worth living for. Paul Tilley

London EC2 sir – When you are faced with writing the last pages of your book you do not want them to be blank pages.

Nick Filleul

Tring, Hertfordshire sir – Churches have been taking every possible step to ensure people’s safety with masks, social distancing and cleaning. To find them closed for the next month is a real blow, especially as it covers Remembrance Sunday.

Church leaders need to speak out. Hilda Gaddum

Macclesfield, Cheshire sir – With 250,000 others I signed an online petition to allow golf courses to remain open. Golf poses little Covid risk, being outdoor, contact-free and inherently socially distanced. During the first lockdown, closure of club houses, bars and changing rooms ensured golf remained Covid-secure.

However, the physical and mentalhealth benefits of golf are widely recognised by the BMA and others.

The Chief Medical Officer has said that we “may have to learn to live with Covid”. We must differentiate high-risk activities from those where risk can be reduced to tolerable levels.

Paul Bennington

Guildford, Surrey