Dithering, bumbling and Covid indecision

I NOTICE that the UK Government is starting to get its act together to protect the UK from this killer virus whereas other island countries, like Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, could see the risk early. They rapidly stopped flights from affected areas, brought in early lockdowns and started wearing face masks.

The UK Government applied a policy of herd immunity. This failed policy caused absolute disaster, resulting in a very late first lockdown at the end of March 2020.

They struggled with face masks all through the winter and spring, advising the public not to wear them initially!

The Government was supposed to put an “iron ring” of protection around care homes, but continued to transfer patients from hospitals without a negative test.

Now, in January 2021, the UK is stopping flights to help mitigate the risk of the Brazilian and South African variant.

They seem now to understand the need to take rapid action – in sharp contrast to the initial dithering, bumbling and indecision in 2020, when flights should have been stopped.

Massive numbers of flights returning from mainland Europe over the February 2020 half-term resulted in 100,000 innocent British deaths. Government policy allowed students to return to universities in September, which caused the disastrous second wave.

The UK is now one of the worstaffected countries in the world. I notice the Government is now considering some of the better quarantine controls deployed successfully 10 months ago by these other island countries. About time too!

Ivan Gould Chilwell