Another bad decision on the pandemic

THE Press Association has just released the latest infection rates up until November 1, 2021. The headline astonishing read that the Vale of Glamorgan had the highest rate of infections in the UK. The equivalent of 756.6 cases per 100,000.

Wales’ infection rate last week confirmed one in 40 had contracted the virus, exactly the same as the week before, which is the highest rate since records began. This figure is exactly double the rate of Scotland’s one in 80. In England it’s one in 50.

What is astonishing is that the highest rate in UK is in the affluent area of the Vale of Glamorgan where there can be no excuses of poverty or poor education. The bottom line is at present if you’re living in this area you are at serious risk of contacting the coronavirus. How can this be happening? Well it doesn’t take a rocket scientist (or a microbiologist) to work out this Welsh Government has again got it disastrously wrong again. They were far too late introducing “Freedom Day” which was three weeks later than in England. This decision like the “firebreak” exactly a year ago, has proved to be a failure. Freedom Day in England was timed with two main factors, one that statistically the percentage of persons being double-vaccinated and secondly it coincided with the school holidays, giving the nation sufficient time to gain more immunity for the autumn period where it was highly likely that infections would rise. By the Welsh Government leaving it too late again has left us in this current situation.

This is another example of why we in Wales should have an independent inquiry into its handling of the pandemic in Wales. Paul Fenton

Penarth