Game Over

I know I keep banging on about it but, for many among the public (and inexplicably, given the numerous cockups), the government's response to the Covid numbers is their touchstone. They may catch a glance of the 6 o'clock news, but that's it as far as keeping abreast of the latest developments is concerned. As far as they are concerned, if the government doesn't mandate masks then it's OK not to wear one in enclosed public spaces because it's game over for Covid - they've been lulled into believing there is no danger.

What they forget is that Boris' aim is not to prevent deaths per se, but to ensure the NHS isn't overwhelmed, as keeping the economy going is his first priority. To that purpose he's reported to have said privately that he's willing to accept 50,000 deaths. That's nearly 40% of the number that have already died - and around the number than died between January 1st and the end of August last year. The number of hospitalisations would be far in excess of this.

I don't want to be one of those 50,000 - obviously some don't mind at all, or are simply oblivious to the problem. All it will take is one mutation too many and we'll be back to where we were at the start of 2020.

Travel industry associations and airlines are meanwhile lobbying for all travel restrictions to be lifted. Can't say I blame them - their businesses are at risk and before the pandemic they were more concerned with pumping money into their stock value than putting something away for a rainy day. For this reason they have a vested interest in denying the obvious and deaths are a price they don't have to pay. Thank God corporations don't run the country, as they aren't subject to the ballot box.

At the end of the day it's a balancing act between avoiding deaths and the keeping the economy going - we get that. Both can be satisfied by simple precautions that many (including our government) are incapable of recognising as necessary. It's not as if they're knuckle-draggers either; they just blissfully unaware.