Can we afford the cost of lifting restrictions if coronavirus cases continue to surge?
A RECENT article on the
BBC News website compared Covid rates that day with rates that same day a year ago. On August 20, 2020 there were
1,182 cases in the UK, but this year 37,314. With 42,379,353 fully vaccinated, the more than 30-fold increase is concerning but not critical, we are told.
Professor Jason Leitch, at a recent Scottish Government briefing, seemed to suggest not overwhelming the NHS continues to be the policy objective, which I fully understand and accept. I do wonder, though, whether something is being missed.
Being curious, the figures above prompted me to find the figures for the peak of last New Year’s wave. The highest daily total then was around 60,000, which is more than 50 times the figure for August 20,
2020.
That comparison, I realise, is one of apples with pears, as there are significant differences between the two years. Most significantly that last year restrictions were in place. Moreover, the weather currently is much more conducive to meeting outside than will be the case later on in the year (for example, Christmas).
However, these – the dismantling of restrictions, and the poorer weather later in the year – suggest an increasing rate.
But, of course, now we have the vaccines, except that it is becoming clear that immunity to Covid is limited in that you can still contract it, though the effects will be less, and in particular you are less likely to be hospitalised.
Fine, except how will the economy be affected?
During much of the pandemic, business owners have complained of restrictions limiting, or even preventing their companies operating. However, difficulties with distribution are being reported already, attributed to a shortage of drivers caused by Brexit. If we add in sickness absences caused by much higher levels of Covid, where does this leave us?
What would 50 times the current daily rate, or anything like it, do to the economy even if the hospitals are still able to cope?
Perhaps one of the ironies of the pandemic could be that business, having complained of restrictions to prevent spread, their ending might cause at least as much disruption to business
because they are no longer preventing the spread of Covid, even if ill at home rather than in hospital?
Alasdair Galloway,
Dumbarton.
IS it not about time that we postponed COP26? The number of Covid-19 coronavirus cases is rising every day.
If this event happens we will be regretting having to shut down at Christmas.
Is this a price we are willing to pay? I think not.
Michael Baird,
Bonar Bridge.