Successful testing shows that knowledge is power in the Covid-19 fight

SIR – My daughter, a police officer, depends on a childminder to care for her two children, who are both under three. Last week, the childminder’s teenage daughter had symptoms consistent with, and diagnosed by telephone as, coronavirus, and the family was duly instructed to isolate for two weeks. They were, however, able to book key-worker tests online, which were carried out on Monday. The results came back on Tuesday and were negative for coronavirus.

As a consequence, my grandsons can go back to the childminder, my daughter can go to work and the childminder’s daughter has been diagnosed with a different medical problem. The availability of bookable tests is indeed a positive step.

Patricia Pringle Newick, East Sussex

SIR – Crossing fingers has been used to avoid ill fortune for centuries and almost certainly does no harm. I’m not aware of any robust evidence that surgical masks help to prevent the spread of coronaviruses.

While common sense and the precautionary principle may support individuals choosing to use masks, before our professional bodies call for a change in government policy we need either a scientific basis or actual evidence to support this position.

Dr Ian Coyle-Gilchrist Consultant neurologist Foxton, Cambridgeshire

SIR – We hear daily from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, but where is the equivalent economic advisory group?

Professor Neil Ferguson warned that lifting the lockdown could see more than 100,000 people die (report, April 27), after previously claiming that 500,000 could die without a lockdown. These figures can easily be interpreted as scaremongering when compared to the numbers of deaths in countries that aren’t locked down, albeit with less dense populations.

We need to hear the counterargument from leading economists and businessmen. The response to the pandemic cannot be driven by scientific opinion alone. The human cost must also be measured in lost livelihoods – and, unless the lockdown is lifted soon, the damage to the economy could cost more lives than the number sadly lost to Covid-19.

Richard Burden Rainham, Kent

SIR – If only it were as simple as letting us older folks decide what risks we are prepared to take with our own health. Once infected with Covid-19, a person is then a spreader. They may have fully understood the risk to themselves, but it comes with an associated risk – that they are likely to infect others.

Stephen Gledhill Evesham, Worcestershire

SIR – My wife is worried that I might have been getting over-excited about the prospect of recycling centres opening this weekend.

Alan White Ham Green, Worcestershire