Sir, – I agree with the advice as regards social distancing but why do so many others disregard this?
I am 84 and able to walk my two dogs for around an hour daily.
But I am feeling increasingly stressed by trying to social distance while on my walks, confined at the moment to local.
Every time I find that nine out of 10 times it is I who has to step aside – frequently into the road – to maintain the two metres distance.
Yesterday I wondered if I was the only person in my local park who could read as it seemed that out of the dozen plus dogs in the park, mine were the only ones on leads!
No-one else seemed to have read or understood the notices on the gates.
If I were allowed to walk my dogs where I used to – hills/beach/woods there would be no problem with social distancing!
When I was at school we didn’t do metres but I know what they are. How come so many young people don’t know?
Sybil Berrecloth.
6 Duff Street,
Dundee.
Patronising from first minister
Sir, – I’m surely not alone in finding patronising Nicola Sturgeon’s use of the expression ‘grown up discussion’ with the public in relation to a lockdown exit strategy.
Does she think we’re a bunch of stroppy teenagers?
Or is she making a characteristic ‘them and us’ politics point to show that she wants people to believe Westminster, with no published exit strategy yet, isn’t treating people like adults?
What Ms Sturgeon has set out is vague.
This is possibly fortunate since publishing a detailed exit strategy right now would risk missing the opportunity to take account of crucial data over the coming days.
Plus if the lockdown is to be lifted in any way, then providing details now may well encourage some of us to break the current lockdown phase before May 7.
Martin Redfern.
Woodcroft Road,
Edinburgh.
Treating us all as grown-ups
Sir, – The National Records of Scotland released figures showing that as of April 19, 23 people have died with Covid-19 in Fife care homes.
Fife Health and Social Care Partnership owes me and every Fifer an apology for withholding this information.
When is the Partnership going to start treating us as grown-ups, in the first minister’s words, and tell us the number of infections and deaths in our care homes?
Whilst they’re at it, we would also like chapter and verse on infection control and testing procedures, and how much PPE is available for how long?
It is not good enough to tell people it’s “adequate”. So-called adequate standards readily mutate according to political priorities, as we have already seen with the Scottish Government’s U-turn on PPE requirements for carers.
These “adequate” standards have already seen 23 die and lord knows how many residents and staff infected.
Cllr Linda Holt (East Neuk & Landward),
Dreel House,
Pittenweem,
Fife.
Freedom for the UK’s over-70s
Sir, – The best news to come out of France in recent weeks is the U-turn made by President Macron on his earlier decision to continue the confinement of the over-70s after the rest of the population is set free on May 11.
In the wake of his earlier speech pensioner spokespersons warned: “The prolonged containment of elderly people will cause great physical and mental suffering, and almost certainly lead to a loss of the will to live.”
Macron accepted this caveat saying “the Swedish option will be available” i.e. the final decision will be left to the individual.
How I wish we “oldies” were allowed such personal freedom by Holyrood and Westminster.
Rev Dr John Cameron.
10 Howard Place,
St Andrews.
Virus could come in waves
Sir, – I listened to the US Health Services public announcement that sunlight, temperature, humidity and disinfectant reduces the life of the virus.
This is not new information, it has been reported before.
For several weeks Scottish Government public information adverts remind us to wash our hands with soap or hand sanitisers at every opportunity after touching external door handles etc.
It appeared to be a US Government public information plan to downplay the longevity of the virus with a view to unlocking their economy.
This morning an Oxford professor explained that the virus transmission will decrease during the summer months as described, however, if we ‘unlock’ before we have a robust Test, Trace, Isolate programme, we will not be able to restrict the spread of the virus, and Covid will return in the autumn and winter.
Even Murdo Fraser MSP and Iain Duncan-Smith MP, neither best pals with our first minister, agreed that the Scottish Government is taking the correct steps. The framework document was a good starting point.
These are truly unprecedented times.
Alistair Ballantyne.
Birkhill,
Angus.
Get golf back into the swing
Sir, – I do not think there is a problem lifting the lockdown on golf courses.
One or two people should be allowed to play. Threes and fours should not.
Each group of players are usually at least one hundred yards apart anyway.
And most of the green- keepers are usually on their own.
I cannot see why we can’t do this to relieve the boredom of lock down.
Alister Rankin.
93, Whyterose Terrace,
Methil.
Single use paper bags are answer
Sir, – The excellent anti-virus measures currently undertaken by supermarkets could be negated by customers who bring their own multi-use plastic bags on to their premises.
These bags are often dirty, and could easily be infected.
The answer would be for supermarkets to ban customers’ own bags and issue single use paper bags at the checkout. These could then be burnt after one journey.
Malcolm Parkin.
Gamekeepers Road,
Kinnesswood.
