MORNING SERIAL
THAT theory should be filed under C for cynical and also P as there is no substantiated proof to back it up.
Whether deliberate or not is frankly irrelevant. Either way the result of this lack of clarity was to make it harder for the Welsh Government and police to keep people in Wales safe – hardly a signal of respect and concern for their partners (and in many cases constituents) across the border.
The other thing to note is that England had now diverted significantly in policy from the other home nations despite all sides drawing from a very similar scientific base. It could be argued that the countries are different with separately run health services and so is perfectly natural for there to be divergence. But there was such a gulf in the messages coming from the respective administrations that you couldn’t help but feel that either one side was being reckless or the other overly cautious (or both).
9. ‘Too Fast, Too Confusing and Too Risky’
May 11 to May 17
■ Wales’ confirmed Covid-19 cases – 11,344
■ Wales deaths – 1,111
■ UK confirmed cases – 202,085
■ UK deaths – 31,571
THE effect of Boris Johnson’s televised address was the last thing needed in a pandemic – confusion.
Not only did very little in the Prime Minister of the UK’s address apply to anywhere other than England, it posed more questions than it answered.
The road map he outlined was less A to Z and Ordnance Survey and more one of those mazes on a child’s placemat with some crayons in a restaurant.
Whereas ‘stay home’ was a clear, easy to understand message, ‘stay alert’ was open to interpretation and begged the question of how to be alert for a virus you cannot see?
Those unable to work from home were now encouraged to return to work while avoiding public transport, which for many was simply impossible.
> Lockdown Wales by Will Hayward £9.99 www.serenbooks.com/ productdisplay/lockdown-wales ISBN 9781781726013
CONTINUES TOMORROW