Covid / Ignore lockdown easing to curb Indian variant, health experts urge

With typical British self-deprecation we are snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and turning  a day of celebration into another day of fear. Why?

Last Sunday nobody in the UK died from Covid

Let that sink in,

In one of the most cosmopolitan countries in the world, a country known for its open-door policy on trade and socialization with the world, at a time when many of our neighbours are still experiencing a second or third wave of Covid, we have limited the impact of the pandemic to a handful of daily cases.

We have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and the highest of any OECD country, we are in a position (one I hope we will agree today) to give back vaccines to countries less fortunate – many of them in the Commonwealth.

Second dosers (I will be one this Friday) will be able to walk the streets with such a high level of immunity that fear should not be on our minds.

Despit our test and trace system not working too well, we have learned to adapt to the new rules and to scan , test , socially distance and clean ourselves out of trouble

And yet we are being told that we cannot manage the Indian variant, which my recent blogs have shown has been identified, isolated and no doubt will be restrained like its South African counterpart by surge testing.

We have gone through great pain and evidence of that pain is there for all to see. If you can bear to come to the center of London in this new climate of fear, walk along the south bank of the Thames from parliament to Lambeth Bridge and witness the hearts painted on the wall below St Thomas’. It is a far more eloquent memorial to those who have died and suffered than what is proposed for St Pauls. It is immediate and it is both commemoration and celebration of life.

Leadership is needed

Now we need to lead and explain. We have lives to live , love to give and there is work to be done repairing the fractured society which has had to live on digital fumes these past 14 months.

We need to be bold and brave and our leader like Moses needs to part the Red Sea and lead us away from the bondage of Covid. We do not want or need another year of lockdown.

Our Pension Minister is showing the right intent

Thread on Monday’s changes and why we need to support our local shops 🏬 and pubs 🍺 … but do so responsibly! 1/👇🏼 https://t.co/SIOtwm5MdK

— Guy Opperman (@GuyOpperman) May 16, 2021