Inhumane policy

One of the most pernicious hangovers from Covid is an unwarranted aversion to risk. The virus continues to circulate, but vaccination and immunity acquired from infection have massively reduced its ability to cause serious illness or death. The hysterical predictions that lifting the last remaining legal restrictions would result in a public health disaster were proved embarrassingly wrong.

Some bodies, however, seemingly refuse to accept that the worst of the pandemic is over. In particular, many hospitals and care homes are still banning people from visiting their friends or relatives.

This is not just disproportionate. It is surely inhumane and cruel. The consequences of isolating patients or care home residents from friends and family are likely to be far more damaging than the small risk that they might fall ill from the virus. The policy raises safeguarding issues, too: unable to see them in person, plenty of people will fear that their relatives are not receiving the treatment they require, especially if they are vulnerable.

A letter to this newspaper from a group of senior Conservatives states that hospitals and care providers are misinterpreting the relevant legislation and guidance. They are calling on the Government and the medical regulators to take immediate action.

Indeed, they should. There has been a consistent failure by the authorities since Covid first emerged to acknowledge the costs of their measures. That was more understandable when the virus still posed a serious threat to some groups. Now it is indefensible.