Sir, – The cacophony from the licence and hospitality industry regarding the new tighter restrictions is deafening, and my sympathy is with them.
Having invested physical and financial resources to first establish their businesses, and then to see their ‘babies’ get starved of clients must be dispiriting.
The north of England are unhappy about their current restrictions.
Italy is four weeks ahead of UK in terms of Covid infections and today they have made face masks mandatory outdoors.
In Belgium, Brussels has shut all cafés and bars for the next month.
Germany predicts a 10,000 spike if social distancing and mask wearing is not observed.
We are not alone in this.
Doing nothing is not an option. Allowing infection to increase will result in more hospital admissions.
These additional admissions will restrict beds for regular admissions like cancer treatments, hip replacements and of course many other necessary procedures.
Letter writers advocating ‘letting the Covid rip’ are sadly deluded and it likely won’t be them who are devastated.
Covid is not going away any time soon, sticking with the rules is our only personal option, but the UK Government could extend the furlough to help those businesses and individuals affected so that they can survive, until we get back in control of behaviours.
Furlough costs, but so does the collateral damage pushed into the benefit systems, and we all know how well the DWP operates.
Alistair Ballantyne.
Birkhill,
Angus.
No need to close if pubs stuck to rules
Sir, – To say I am dismayed at comments about the partial close down of some licensed premises would be an understatement.
I was always under the impression that pubs etcetera accepted, under terms of their licence, not to serve customers under the influence of alcohol.
It appears to me, a non-medical person and someone who enjoys a pint, that someone under the influence is, in general, a more relaxed person who has an uncontrollable urge to talk loudly and wrap their arms around the nearest person to them – family, friends or strangers! All not very Covid aware actions.
If pubs adhered to the ‘had too much to drink, please leave’ rule, then this restriction may not have been nesserary.
The first minister has hard decisions to make and with an election less than nine months away would appear to be willing to accept the possibility of unpopularity against steering Scotland through this pandemic safely.
William Golden.
Castle Street,
Forfar.
Covid breathalyser could help recovery
Sir, – The testing system for Covid seems to be completely overwhelmed and not working.
Why are we not using the Covid breathalyser developed by Technion?
Each breathalyser test gives a result in under 30 seconds, without the requirement of specialised knowledge and the cost is under £2 per test.
A test of the system has been run for several months in parallel with the present swab testing method by an English Premier League club who carry out weekly tests on their players and staff.
All positives for Covid were picked up by both methods.
By using the breathalyser method it would be possible to have testing on the door at venues such as sports stadia, restaurants, pubs, offices etcetera, with anyone showing as positive being refused entry so normal life could return and the economy could start to recover.
Eric Gibbons,
Dunfermline,
Fife.
Like or loathe him, Trump is only option
Sir, –President Trump is quite right in refusing to participate in a virtual debate.
It can only provide virtual answers, a most unsatisfactory state of affairs.
Biden is showing himself as nothing but a smoke and mirrors individual and, therefore, unfit for purpose.
Whether people like him or not, President Trump is the only man to ensure a degree of safety for the western world.
Kenneth Miln.
Union Street,
Monifieth.
