The young need a little hope

Sir, – Is it possible that our Government leaders could inject some uplifting spirit into their daily messages regarding the pandemic response instead of always being the bearers of depressingly gloomy news each day?

How come they don’t seem to understand that most ordinary people are hanging on by the skin of their teeth at this point? Telling us that it may be mid-May before there is any real relaxation of restrictions is cruelty beyond belief. I, for one, have had enough!

We have been, for the most part, an extremely compliant nation since late December. The continued restrictions are destroying our mental health, most especially that of the citizens aged between 18 and 25. Does our Government really care about our young people at all?

For many college students, either in the midst of or on the cusp of exciting times in their lives, it all came to a halt on March 10th, 2020.

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This group is the forgotten cohort during this pandemic. College fees have been forked out and yet they haven’t once set a foot on campus. Many are sitting looking at screens all day long, surrounded by the same four walls and the same people.

There have been no opportunities to meet up with friends or make new friendships.

At a time when they should be embarking on new adventures and exploits, they have been cruelly left to their own devices (quite literally!) at home.

Suffice it to say that this group has lost, by far, the most over the past year.

I’m not sure how forgiving they will be come the next general election! – Yours, etc,

DEE DELANY,

Raheny, Dublin 5.