The Times has a good leader today under the above headline. But elsewhere there are strident calls for pupils to return to school and for restrictions to be relaxed. Do we learn nothing at all ? We are where we are because of a populist driven desire on the part of our Government to relax restrictions, and not impose others that were necessary, last year. The deadly “Boris Saves Christmas” nonsense killed thousands, for example.
The emphasis should not be on idle speculation on the timing of the relaxation of rules but on how we stop killing people at one of the highest rates in the world. With the vaccination programme a start has been made but new mutations and variants seem to occur every day. This pandemic is still running wild.
The more some politicians and media drivel on about COVID-19 threat to the economy and to our children’s schooling the more public opinion shifts away from the real issue. To get on top of the virus once and for all. Only when the risks are minimised should we consider relaxing lockdown.
Leadership should not be about doing what is popular but what is right. We are a long way from any sort of normality let alone a significant one. Courageous journalists and politicians won’t play to the crowds but tell it as it is. If we could find any.
Paddy’s Blogs in a crazy world 