As the UK eases out of lockdown, the public mood remains muted. This might be because transmission of the coronavirus remains stubbornly high. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that in the last week in July, there were 4,200 new infections per day in England.
It could also be because a new report has warned the government that if it fails to prepare for a second wave of the virus, we could expect a further 120,000 deaths by the end of June 2021.
The report’s authors have been keen to stress that this is a worst case scenario and not a prediction. Yet, there is a sense among health experts that this is a taste of things to come, especially as the government’s handling of the pandemic does not inspire confidence.
As a result of a late lockdown, a lack of testing, contract tracing and a credible isolation strategy as well as a failure to ensure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) reached NHS and social care staff, more than 46,000 people lost their lives to the virus within months. ONS figures show that by the end of May, England had the highest excess death rate in the whole of Europe.
As we approach winter and the risk of the virus becomes more virulent, little has changed on the test-and-trace and PPE fronts, except that the government believes that it is acceptable to assign blame to hardworking NHS and social care staff for the results of its lack of preparedness. But by shifting the blame onto those who risked their lives to save others, it is showing that it is unwilling to learn from its mistakes, putting our health in jeopardy.
This government may not possess the leadership qualities the UK needs to steer it through the global health and economic crisis. But six months in, we know what measures we need to take to keep ourselves safe from the virus, such as wearing a face mask in public spaces, practicing good hygiene and maintaining social distancing.
We also know that taking vitamin D, alongside regular walks in the park, puts our immune system in an optimal position to fight off the flu and other winter infections. By sticking to these simple rules, we can keep ourselves well until an effective vaccine has been developed, and we can then all breathe a collective sigh of relief.
