JO JONES, Martin Goldberg, and G Carr (HAS, Feb 1 & Feb 3), have pointed out that the reasons for the UK’s catastrophic Covid-19 statistics are complex, and it cannot all be blamed on the government.
The reasons are complex, but that is no defence for the government.
A significant number of people have behaved irresponsibly in the face of the pandemic, and this cannot be defended, either. However, if irresponsible people and the government alike want to blame someone, then each group should only blame the guy in the mirror.
G Carr describes how the UK is about 15 times as densely populated as New Zealand. This is confirmed in the same book as where I found out that Nigeria is the tenth most populous country in the world. These figures are accurate.
Therefore if I can look up these statistics, then so can the government. The government knows that viruses thrive in crowded areas. Therefore, it should have locked down sooner.
The government has acted according to how things are and its shortcomings cannot be blamed on other circumstances.
Jeremy Whiting, Great Lumley, Chester-le-Street.
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