Against warnings from scientific advisers and NHS bosses that new infections are rising exponentially, the government announced in July that it would press ahead with ‘Freedom Day’ as planned and ditch the remaining restrictions that have been effective in curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
The most contentious has been the removal of the legal requirement for face coverings to be worn in enclosed, public spaces. It has now become a matter of personal choice. Relegating mask-wearing from a mandatory activity to an optional one when a more contagious variant of the virus is circulating is irresponsible and dangerous. The overriding message emanating from the Cabinet on this is clear: if you contract the virus, then that’s down to you.
Never mind that the clinically vulnerable and immunocompromised are put at risk by this move, even if they have been double-vaccinated, abide by social distancing rules and wear a face covering in public. If those around them don’t stick to Covid risk-mitigating measures, their frailer immune systems render them vulnerable to infection.
The government has justified its decision by arguing that the NHS’ successful vaccination programme has broken the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths. Not only is untrue – the link between the virus and serious illness has only been weakened – but it fails to acknowledge that 42% of the population has not had two jabs and are at a greater risk of infection without this basic protection in place.
Moreover, by letting the virus run rampant when two-fifths of the population is not yet fully protected, the government risks creating the perfect breeding ground for vaccine-resistant variants to emerge, thereby exposing the double-vaccinated to infection.
In what could be a wake-up call for governments around the world, 500 families bereaved by Covid in Italy have launched a legal action against their government for failing to swiftly introduce adequate measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. They are seeking €100 million in compensation.
This government may face a similar legal action in the future, one which could have been averted with a better public health strategy that included keeping face masks mandatory and making social distancing and good ventilation compulsory in enclosed public spaces. These are simple measures which suppress the spread of the virus, have minimal impact on most people’s lives and keeps more people infection-free.
