Easy to be wise after event as UK government criticised for Covid-19 response

Scotland has its own independent NHS, police force and legal system and was given a population share of the additional United Kingdom expenditure released to counteract the effects of Covid-19, so was in an ideal position to act independently yet, along with the other devolved governments, chose (wisely in my opinion) to have a pan-uk approach to dealing with the problem.

However, that has not stopped the usual suspects, fired by the power of hindsight, from directing sometimes vitriolic criticism solely at the UK government.

To justify their criticisms it is usual to simplistically quote comparative death rates in other countries selected for their purpose.

This is a prime example of lies, damned lies and (the misuse of ) statistics.

As of May 2 the European Union hub, Belgium, just happens to have the world’s highest Covid-19 death rate and of the top 20 death rates EU countries account for 12 – 14 if we add in Switzerland and the UK.

Germany is much praised for its unique early introduction of a comprehensive testing regime yet next door Austria has a death rate of only 10 per cent that of Germany.

Another common criticism is that the United Kingdom dragged its feet in introducing lockdown, thus causing many unnecessary deaths.

How, then, do we explain that Sweden, which has avoided lockdown to protect its economy so far, has had a death rate of roughly half that of the UK?

No mention is usually made of China, where the pandemic started with no warning. The death rate in China is about 1 per cent that of the UK. Should we have adopted China’s tactics in dealing with our outbreak?

That’s probably enough to indicate that a full explanation of all aspects of this pandemic will occupy many experts for a considerable time.

The United Kingdom’s combined effort will no doubt have earned the school report of “could have done better” but on the whole it would appear that for a generally high population density country with a much higher than average international travel we have so far done not too badly.

A MCCORMICK Kirkland Road, Terregles,

Dumfries

Why do broadcasters tell us the UK has Europe’s highest number of coronavirus deaths? On the BBC’S Andrew Marr Show yesterday Sir Iain Diamond, of the Office of National Statistics, rubbished this and said comparisons should be based on deaths per million.

The UK, on 392 deaths per million, is fourth in the world after Belgium (656), Italy and Spain.

The United States has the highest number of deaths, 186 per million, placing in tenth in the league.

Scotland, with 340 deaths per million, would be in sixth place.

ALLAN SUTHERLAND Willow Row, Stonehaven