EMMA LEWELL-BUCK: We face the prospect of repeated lockdowns that have little impact

Another week and more catastrophic coronavirus related failures by the Government.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak. Photo: Leon Neal/PA WireChancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak. Photo: Leon Neal/PA Wire
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak. Photo: Leon Neal/PA Wire

This week, news broke that nearly 16,000 Coronavirus cases went unreported. The latest figures show that as many as 48,000 people still don’t know that they have been in contact with someone who tested positive for Coronavirus.

Despite repeated calls from all MPs to allow local public health teams to fully take over their own testing and tracking, the Government stubbornly refuses. This “world beating” test and track system run by Serco has so far cost the taxpayer a staggering £12bn.

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It has also come to light that many areas with higher infection rates have escaped lockdown. The common theme in this respect is that they are Tory-held seats. The Prime Minister and Chancellor’s constituencies have infection rates higher than those in local lockdowns, yet no additional restrictions have been put in place in their areas.

Exacerbating economic inequality and ‘playing politics’ for political gain is reprehensible. It is little wonder that, in the last few months, the Government has squandered any good will they had from the public and MPs since the onset of the pandemic. They have failed on every level, leading to over forty thousand deaths, compounded by confusing local lockdown restrictions, a bleak economic situation, and a virus still at large and still spreading.

Still there are no clear criteria as to what areas with enhanced local restrictions need to achieve to be released from them. Still the Government is either unable or is refusing to say why the arbitrary 10pm curfew is in place, yet it is evidently increasing the spread of the virus and destroying the hospitality industry.

We face the prospect of repeated lockdowns that will continue to have short-term limited or even no impact unless they are supported by a robust testing regime and consistent and very clear messaging. This virus will be with us until we find a vaccine. We need to find a way of living life as normally as possible. Long-term, protective measures are needed that won’t adversely impact on mental health, reduce access to health care, education and cause economic harm. At the same time, these measures need to safeguard those most at risk.

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Whilst I certainly don’t have all the answers, I know that there is a balance to be struck without complete societal shut down.

The last six months have shown us the harm that has done. People respond to simple messaging that doesn’t overly restrict their liberty with no end in sight. The Government should be investing their energy into testing and tracking whilst protecting those most at risk and robustly reinforcing messages around mask-wearing, sanitising and physical distancing.

The Prime Minister and his Cabinet continue to try and blame the public for the spread of the virus. The public are not to blame for late lockdown, lack of PPE, a shambolic test and track system, mixed, incoherent and confusing messaging. The blame for that lies very much at the Prime Minister’s door.