Letter: Easing restrictions too soon could result in more deaths

NHS staff outside Harrogate Nightingale Hospital.

Since early on in lockdown I have been out with many others on Thursday evenings clapping NHS workers.

This Thursday this will be with mixed feelings.

Do I really want to be applauding alongside members of this Government who have just introduced a premature, in my view, easing of the lockdown, which could result in more deaths of workers who could be being sent to work in unsafe environments and deaths of more NHS workers who may be treating them?

This tragedy has been waiting to happen for some time.

The last 10 years of Tory Governments have, through their austerity policies, starved the NHS, social care, welfare and local councils of funds. This has led to a lack of resilience in our system.

It also led to a failure to follow WHO guidelines and make preparations for a pandemic and stock up on the necessary PPE.

They also voted against increasing wages of NHS workers in 2017, which, along with charging nurses for their training and frightening EU nurses and doctors away with Brexit, led to a shortage of medical staff.

So I’m waiting with bated breath to see what will be the result of this very woolly policy of this very underprepared Government, but I’m not hopeful.

The stakes are high!