THE POSITIVE PROFESSOR
SOCIAL media’s voice of calm Karol Sikora has been signed up by the Daily Express. Readers can now enjoy his soothing advice in these troubled times that has won him hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter. If you need reassuring everything’s going to be all right read Professor Positivity.
I’M REALLY hopeful that the Prime Minister’s run- in with his self- isolation system may improve the whole thing for the rest of us.
Boris Johnson came into contact with someone who has subsequently tested positive, so under the rules he has to self- isolate for 14 days regardless of what any future test result states.
Mr Johnson, who was hospitalised with Covid- 19 in April, himself admitted that he is “bursting with antibodies” and it is fair to say that he is extremely unlikely to have been infected a second time in such a short period of time.
In theory, he could test negative every day for the remainder of his self- isolation period but still not be allowed out.
Every time I see a minister in the media, they are explaining how our testing capacity is so amazing. But if you go on to the Government dashboard you can see there is a huge difference between tests processed and the testing capacity. Why aren’t we using it?
This whole argument comes back to the 14- day period.
My stance has long been that if people think the rules are fair and proportionate, then far more people will follow them.
I think now is the right time to re- evaluate the length of that period. Some countries have cut it down to seven days, others to 10.
I’m sure there is a compromise to be found there.
Let’s hope, now that the Prime Minister is experiencing quite how difficult it would be for some people to fully self- isolate for two weeks, we may finally see some proper reform on this.
It’s easy for people like me or Boris who can on the most part work from home, but many professions can’t.
A week is so much more manageable for so many people.
I hope we see some change.