TOO SLOW ON COVID ACTION

THE North West suffered more than most from the ravages of Covid, Britain suffered more than any other country in Western Europe.

The current Covid Enquiry is excruciating, exemplified by Matt Hancock’s admission that he favoured locking down on March 2, 2020.

Although case numbers were still low Hancock affirmed that they were doubling every three to four days.

Further very compelling evidence was available from Italy and Germany who had already seen exponential growth in both cases and mortality.

The lockdown, that was clearly necessary, based on evidence available, did not happen.

Although Hancock insisted that ‘hindsight’ was required to ‘naysay’ the failure to lockdown on March 2, this is palpably wrong.

Hancock, the Prime Minister and the government advisers must be asked just what on earth they were doing in the 21 days in March (2 to 23) when every single day provided increasingly compelling evidence that, indeed cases were doubling in three to four days, quadrupling in seven days and had increased by more than sixteen fold by March 16.

Deaths were increasing at an even faster rate.

Still, Hancock and Johnson resisted taking the action necessary to stem this developing tsunami.

Hancock claims hindsight is required before criticism is levelled. Nonsense.

The period between March 2 to March 23 was the most important three weeks of the pandemic in the UK. Government incompetence, their failure to act, instead of react, ruined the economy and precipitated the death of thousands of British citizens.

Hindsight was not necessary.

The evidence was clear on March 2 and irrefutable just one week later. Each day of dither was disastrous.

Sheer incompetence at the very heart of government.

Graham Reid

Park Lane, Poynton