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Louise Thomas
Editor
My husband and I returned from our winter holiday in the Canary Islands on 21 March. Boris Johnson announced lockdown on 23 March.
Since then, we have continued to self-isolate, not going out through all this time, even though Johnson eased restrictions.
We are both nearing 70 and have underlying health conditions.
All our shopping has been ordered through various online outlets and delivered, which we have found is the best route for us, keeping us safe.
We do not trust what Johnson and the government say, plus there are so many people behaving as though coronavirus has gone away.
The government’s handling of the pandemic has been appalling. They were too slow to act at the beginning and as a consequence, families have lost many loved ones.
We will continue to remain isolated in our home where we feel safe and secure. We keep ourselves busy and spend time in our garden when the weather permits.
We understand that it has been a difficult period for everyone, but the coronavirus is deadly and people shouldn’t forget that. Yet they are. Scenes at beaches and at the pubs show social distancing has basically gone out of the window.
The government has not helped with their confusing messaging and U-turns. Why put announcements out on Twitter? We do not all use this medium. Clearly the government isn't at all in touch with the people.
Susan and Graham Moon
Address supplied
Make the youth stay indoors
Why is the government planning to lock down the over-50s to prevent further spread of Covid-19? That age group have, by and large, followed the safety guidance; it is the youth of this country who are holding wild parties, rioting in the streets, trashing our parks and beaches and tearing down our architectural heritage, all with total disregard for social distancing and common sense.
I trust this ridiculous government is not looking to the over-50s to return them to power at the next election because we have been on the planet long enough to know how to use our votes to punish the incompetent... as the last general election showed.
Ian McNicholas
Waunlwyd, Wales
Lockdown vs state pension
How is it that the over-50s are considered elderly and vulnerable where coronavirus is concerned but when it comes to state retirement, all of a sudden we are not vulnerable, apparently fit and healthy enough to work until we are 66?
Jayne Shayndel
Address supplied
Jess Phillips is right
I have a lot of time for Jess Phillips and feel that she is correct that the Conservative MP who has been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman and released on bail should have the whip removed. If not, this would again send out a terrible message that this government will do anything to protect its own.
As Phillips rightly states, the whip seems to be a moveable feast and seems to be used spitefully in some cases, with the recent one being removed from Julian Lewis for daring to justifiably outflank his masters. But from what I've seen, when it is really necessary, it goes missing in action.
Of course, the MP concerned should have recourse to the full progress of the law, but I wish the government would look again at its whip-removal strategy. This type of protection is counterproductive and raises alarm bells in the public arena.
Judith A Daniels
Great Yarmouth
Covid-19 tests
I was asked yesterday how to get a local test for coronavirus and I had to say I did not know. Why are we not bombarded with adverts in all media telling us the local procedures? Is it another case of the facilities being unable to cope so they hope we do not ask?
Joanna Pallister
Durham
Blame newspapers
Reading the letters you published on Sunday blaming most of the issues we're facing with coronavirus on Boris Johnson, misdirection etc, I've realised that most of the confusion and misdirection has actually been caused by the newspapers, not the government.
That's just based on my reading into what the papers publish.
Ian Livingstone
Address supplied
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