Sir, – At the start of the pandemic, public health officials asked the young to lockdown in order to protect the health services.
Over 18 months later, after the longest lockdown in Europe, the same health officials are now hinting at further restrictions, and advocating mask wearing and the vaccination of young children, in order to protect the same health services, and in particular to protect the ICU beds that are now occupied by a considerable number of adults who have chosen not to be vaccinated.
Before imposing further financial and emotional hardship on the vast majority of the population who have patiently followed all the guidelines, and who are unlikely to get seriously sick from Covid, perhaps it’s time for public health officials to stop patronising people and genuinely start using all other means available, ie, antigen tests, better ventilation systems, effective test and tracing, CO2 monitors and Hepa filters, to contain the spread of Covid, rather than repeat a policy of further restrictions and lockdowns which are clearly not a long-term solution to living with Covid. – Yours, etc,
VINCENT McMAHON,
Ennis, Co Clare.