As many people are celebrating our “get out of jail free card” by planning a family and friends Christmas, let us look at some simple facts.
In the beginning, because Covid-19 is so virulent, to prevent our NHS being overwhelmed, we needed to “flatten the curve”.
In doing so, this would have a “ripple effect” with each subsequent viral wave being smaller than the one before.
Infections were lower after lockdown, restrictions were eased, and we became complacent.
When the next wave arrived, it was much higher than expected, leading to further restrictions and lockdowns.
Now with a vaccine soon to be available, it is still not the time to abuse our freedom.
With a projected one million inoculations per week, which requires a second dose after a month, the rate is reduced to half a million per week.
With potentially in excess of 60 million people needing vaccinated in the UK, this means it will be more than 120 weeks, or nearly two-and-a-half years, before we can hopefully return to “normal”.
So, please obey the “FACTS”, and let us all enjoy the best Christmas possible.
JH, Aberdeen.
Aid wasted
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced the foreign aid budget will be slashed from 0.7% of GDP to 0.5%. Good! For decades, large parts of the foreign aid budget have been squandered.
China and India have space programmes, so why give them £81 million? China was given money for flood prevention, yet UK towns and cities suffered one of the worst years of flooding on record because budget restrictions meant flood defences were not built and rivers were not dredged.
Clark Cross.
Cruel act
Re the Persian cat dumped in a wheelie bin.
How difficult would it have been to have taken her to a rescue centre?
To abandon a cat at that age is disgusting and cruel. I’m glad she is better now and hope she finds a lovely home.
B Hall.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.