So Robin Swann warns of a catastrophic Covid-19 second wave. Anyone remember the catastrophic first one?

Come winter, according to Dr Doom, the Lagan will turn to blood, a plague of mice will eat all our supplies of Tayto crisps, Ballymena will suffer weeks of darkness, oh, and Covid 19 will once again stalk our fair land in the form of the much promised second wave.
By James Tinneny
Published 17th Sep 2020, 12:00 BST
Updated 17th Sep 2020, 13:00 BST
For four months most of us didn’t wear masks. Then Robin Swann decrees that we must all wear them indoorsFor four months most of us didn’t wear masks. Then Robin Swann decrees that we must all wear them indoors
For four months most of us didn’t wear masks. Then Robin Swann decrees that we must all wear them indoors

The only wave I am interested in is the bye-bye one which Steve Aiken will hopefully give to Robin Swann when he realises the electoral damage this man will inflict on the Ulster Unionist Party once the real analysis of his custody of our health service and of this epidemic merges.

The amount of money frittered away is already eye watering and now, on the excuse of a catastrophic second wave (anyone remember the catastrophic first wave?) he is announcing a second Nightingale hospital despite the fact that the first one had to be wound down as early as May.

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All this as life threatening conditions are diagnosed too late as our GPs remain locked down in their bunkers.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

The general mismanagement of this epidemic beggars belief but I am astounded at the readiness of the public to accept extremely questionable assaults on their liberty as well as the inability of so many to trust in their own ability to apply logic to the measures being foisted on them. For four months most of us didn’t wear masks. Then Mr Swann decrees that they will save the vulnerable so we must all wear them indoors. No peer reviewed scientific analysis produced to back this up.

This is despite the fact that statistically by far and away the greatest chance of picking up the disease is in the home with the second greatest chance being visitors to the home.

How does mask wearing fit in here?

Recently in my local Tesco I saw four people wearing the mask below the nose and one wearing it round her chin.

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The height of daftness for me came on a recent visit to the Giant’s Causeway. There was a moderate breeze and, sensibly, no-one was wearing a mask, but then I observed a young couple with their designer masks.

I was told by someone that the chances of contacting the virus outside at 0.00345% virtually zero.

I keep remembering a scene from ‘Enemy at the Gates’ about the battle of Stalingrad. Kruschev arrives to take charge and he assembles a terrified group of officers. He asks for suggestions to force to soldiers to fight harder and an officer shouts: ‘Give them hope’.

People are worried about their jobs, their children’s futures, angered by stupid rules dreamed up by jobsworths, by the erratic decisions of our MLAs on quarantine, opening pubs, opening soft play centres etc.

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I see the effect of all of this, including depression, on people I know.

We need hope, not doom and gloom.

The morale of the troops at Stalingrad was lifted by a young sniper, Vasily Zaitsev.

God help us, we have MLAs!

To conclude, a quote:

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Benjamin Franklin, 1755

James Tinneny, Londonderry

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Related topics:Robin SwannSteve AikenPeopleBallymena