BORIS JOHNSON would perhaps wish to be seen as being in the mould of Sir Winston Churchill. But I doubt if his at times ruthless predecessor would have handed out steel helmets to the elderly while much of the infantry had yet to be issued with these.

We see the vaccine being given to those whose only contact with the general population is via their carers, who are themselves being vaccinated. At the same time medical staff treating the infected are having to work in cumbersome full PPE and in many cases to be absent for several days of self-isolation.

Thus we are failing to make most effective use of the two critical resources of the moment.

JG Riseley, Harrogate.