The Second Wave

I’m not sure I’ve spoken to anyone in the last month who doesn’t believe that there will be a second wave. It seems a certainty to me. But what do any of us really know? The coronavirus has given new meaning to the quote ‘the more I learn, the less I know’. I’m tempted to go back to some online debates to add an ‘I told you so’ to the bottom of the thread. What did I tell them? That we don’t know.

But I can work with evidence based assumptions and known science though. Countries/states that go into hard lockdowns very quickly suffer fewer infections and deaths. Countries/states that wait till infections are very low before they ease gently out of lockdowns, and have high take up of face coverings by a sensible population suffer smaller, more manageable outbreaks.

The UK had a lax lockdown and implemented it late on. Tens of thousands are now dead. We’ve rather leapt out of lockdown, have the lowest face covering take up in the developed world. This doesn’t bode well. Yet the government refuses to act.

Face coverings must be mandatory in all indoor environments and all outdoor environments where 2 metre social distancing cannot be observed. The policy must be enforced. I’m rather tired of seeing selfish idiots refusing to wear face coverings on public transport. And for those who cannot wear health masks for health reasons? Stay home. 

When/if the vaccine comes, we will then have to face the nonsense from the anti-vax brigade. Luckily for them, I don’t believe in mandatory vaccination programs. However, I also don’t believe that they should receive any treatment from the NHS should they become infected with the coronavirus. Not even a single paracetamol tablet. 

I’ve really had my fill of stupid for one year. There must be consequences to poor decision making.