Our propensity to obsess about big stuff means perhaps that we’re not great at taking on the implications of the more important and telling details. One clear message put out by the Prime Minister in London tonight was that:
…as we’ve always said is to do it when it is most effective when we think it can make the biggest difference to slowing the spread of the disease reducing the number of victims, reducing the number of fatalities and as we take these steps we should be focusing on the most vulnerable so that in a few days time.
By this coming weekend it will be necessary to go further and to ensure that those with the most serious health conditions are largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks. [Emphasis added]
However, Slugger understands that in some parts of NI public service flexibility of home working that is being encouraged for some workers in London is not being granted in Northern Ireland, not even in cases of people impaired immunity systems.
As noted earlier, the UK approach is to close schools slowly and gradually but at the same time build a defence around the most vulnerable in our communities. The strategy simply doesn’t work if those protections are not put firmly in place.
The PM’s laid back approach allows for a fair bit of looseness and discretion within the system. “No one should be penalised for doing the right thing”, he said. If this approach is to work, we not should force individuals in a vulnerable group to stay at work.
“Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2” by NIAID is licensed under CC BY
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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