Computer scapegoats

sir – The Government blamed a “computer issue” for the loss of 15,000 Covid cases (report, October 5), but there is no such thing. There are “human issues” in design, input and interpretation of output.

As a former computer programmer and tester, I quickly learnt the value of Gigo – garbage in garbage out. If you are ever told it’s a computer problem, it is without doubt a human one.

Lee Goodall

Churchdown, Gloucestershire

sir – In light of the recent test-andtrace blunder, can anyone tell me the whereabouts of Dido Harding, the chairman of the National Institute for Health Protection, or what she is doing?

Richard Barnett

Pwll, Carmarthenshire