Draconian

The data being used to justify the restrictions is disputed and controls are being imposed on the nation without any scrutiny whatever by Parliament

Boris Johnson yesterday announced further restrictions, suggesting that they could go on for as long as another six months if the number of cases of covid-19 continued to rise. This followed the press conference on Monday when the government's chief medical advisors warned that case numbers were growing at an alarming rate and action was needed to slow the spread of the virus.

There are some scientists who take a different view, who dispute the figures cited on Monday and question the need for a further tightening of restrictions. They disagree that infections or deaths will be anything like as bad as the government scientists would have us believe.

I worry that the measures being taken go too far. If we consider that In August, the top 10 reasons for death did not include the coronavirus, while for men under 55 there is a greater risk of being killed in a motor accident than succumbing to covid-19. The ongoing restrictions will destroy the livelihoods of many people. With the furlough scheme set to end shortly, many are likely to be made redundant, and of those some are at risk of losing their homes.

I remain of the view that the devastation of the economy and the resultant detrimental effects on the health and wellbeing of us all will be so much worse than the effect of the coronavirus. The actions being taken to control the virus are draconian and out of proportion to the risk it poses. The data being used to justify the action is disputed and is being imposed on the nation without any scrutiny whatever by Parliament.

23rd September 2020

#coronavirus #politics