A loss of confidence due to official dithering
I AM not writing this to promote a left-wing agenda but because I am distressed by the sheer incompetence of a Government which is supposed to protect the wellbeing of the inhabitants of the UK.
They are unhappy that individuals with no coronavirus symptoms are applying for health tests. Yet they want teachers, doctors, health service consultants and registrars and many other essential service providers to return to work. I was a teacher, now retired. Were I still teaching, I would like to be certain that I was not an asymptomatic spreader of the disease before entering a staff room or a classroom. I hear of local consultants and surgeons unwilling to deal with patients for fear of infecting them. How ridiculous that health workers cannot get tests. The list of concerned who cannot do their job properly for lack of testing is enormous.
The coronavirus became evident in February. What has the Government been doing all this time? Did no-one recognise that regular universal testing was the most effective way of controlling the disease? Could the fact that testing is mainly in private hands be part of the problem?
I have no problem with these companies but their role should be supplementary to that of the NHS which, after all, has the real expertise, despite being grossly underfunded and understaffed. Billions should have been spent on recruiting and training staff, building and running local laboratories and setting up local test centres or GP test units, accessible to all. I suspect that this would have been less expensive in the long run than the cost of furloughs, mass evictions from rented properties, 10-20% unemployment, social unrest and possible complete economic collapse. Regular testing means outbreaks can be quickly located and controlled.
Most people want to help the Government through this pandemic but they find co-operation difficult because of constant U-turns and lack of planning. The Government has also scored a number of own goals, making people think that there is one law for “them” and another law for “us”.
Juan F Houston Glan Aber, Dolwyddelan