MIKE HILL: “Confusion costs lives” should be the Government's new motto

Particularly, it was interesting to see the reactions to the Prime Minister’s statement a week ago on Sunday. Utter confusion abounded about going back to work, but not going back to work, visiting your siblings and parents, but not in their homes - unless their home is up for sale or you employ your Mam as a cleaner; driving miles to exercise and of course the opening of schools on 1st June for certain age groups. It’s a bit like the “no need to wear face masks, but wear face masks” advice; you couldn’t make it up and would laugh out loud if the situation wasn’t so serious.

“Confusion costs lives” should be the new motto. Relaxation of the lock down rules across the whole of England when it is well known that regions like the North East have not yet reached their peak, when care home fatalities continue to rise and when the number of COVID positive cases is bound to rise because of the increased amount of testing, is a dangerous step to take. Obviously, the Government can’t be blamed for the huge queues outside the chippy at Seaton reported over the weekend, or the Tees Bay Retail Park traffic jams due to the reopening of Burger King, or the crowds flocking to Summerhill or can they? Their confused messaging, ‘backed by the science’, most certainly has contributed.

Which is why I unequivocally support Hartlepool Borough Council on their firm stance on the reopening of schools. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm believer that children should be back in the classroom not only for educational purposes but, also in far too many cases, for nutritional and safeguarding reasons. However, schools must be safe environments and until they can be safe to the satisfaction of the local and public health authorities, they should not be forced to throw open their doors. The Government have tried to blame the Trade Unions hinting that they are being politically obstructive on the schools front, but Councils like Hartlepool and Liverpool demonstrate that the issue is far beyond that and public protection is their priority. Folk should remember that those in power who quote the science that kids have very low mortality rates are the ones behind the scandal of this pandemic - the release of untested hospital patients into care homes.

Of course schools have never really shut as they have been open to children of key workers and to children with special needs throughout the lockdown. Key workers come in many shapes and guises, like teachers and classroom assistants, and we sometimes forget that beyond the NHS frontlines there are others. The shop, delivery and distribution workers; funeral directors and crematorium staff; cleaners; RNLI; air ambulance and mountain rescue volunteers; workers in essential industries; bank staff; refuse loaders; telecommunications workers; lorry; train; taxi, tram and bus drivers to name but a few. They are working for you. Don’t let them down and don’t be fooled. We are still at the bottom of the regional COVID death rate for a reason, so keep up the discipline; Stay at Home (where you can) protect the NHS and Save Lives.