Living in New Zealand I have found the whole attitude to Covid 19 by the UK government unfathomable. It is as if our countries are dealing with two different pandemics. In one country hundreds of thousands of people have died unnecessarily and in the other, the citizens live a normal life with I think about 22 deaths which NZ feels were 22 too many.
The difference is that one country's government took Covid seriously from the first moment and still does and the other that this is a minor outbreak that will go away or the country will have to live with it and the misery that follows as its citizens and it seems ministers will not obey orders for the greater good.
Opening up the UK regardless of the fact that a new deadly variant is spreading fast seems to me folly but nowhere in the UK press except a small article by the leader of the opposition who suggests caution does anyone oppose this ridiculous statement.
If the world had done what NZ and later Australia did and shut down for a month the whole grisly pandemic with its millions of deaths would be over and yes we all could have done it. In wars, everyone does what they are told.
Instead, foolishly the wise politicians put the economy first, protecting sports, entertainment and holidays and still do. Is Wimbledon worth it? Is Formula One worth it? Not for the millions who have died unnecessarily or are left with the hell of Long Covid. It may be cheaper at first but it is expensive in the long run. Economies recover and live on the dead do not.
If the virus transmission is stopped early it has nowhere to go. It disappears and life goes on. If not, well you can see the result. I cannot believe that the UK Health Minister believes the UK has to live with this and is opening up on 19 July. is this wise? Dreadful. I despair for the country of my birth. No wonder the rest of the world is shutting the UK out.