Self-isolation help and sharing vaccine needed

THERE is increasing speculation that the further relaxation of Covid restrictions, planned for the end of June, may have to be postponed, due to the increased transmissibility of some new strains; and that some of the relaxations that have already been introduced may even need to be reversed.

There is one measure that could make a big contribution towards reducing transmission rates and helping to avoid this, however, and that is provision of proper support to allow people to self-isolate.

Despite the success of the ongoing, NHS-led vaccination programme, rapid identification and isolation of people who are still infected also remains important, but even the most perfect test and trace system will make no difference if people cannot afford to isolate when they ought to.

However, the government has so far pumped vast sums of money into its very expensive, largely privatised test and trace system, while failing to fund the kind of isolation support that needs to be in place to make test and trace fully effective. This needs to be rectified.

In addition, the fact that escape from lockdown in the UK is being jeopardised by new variants highlights the fact that effectively fighting a pandemic can only be done internationally.

New variants will continue to arise while infection rates worldwide remain high.

To prevent this it is not just a moral imperative, but also in our self interest to help poorer countries vaccinate their populations as quickly as possible.

This means being prepared to share existing supplies of vaccine and should also mean waiving patent protections that stand in the way of ramping up production.

Malcolm Hunter, Leicester