The ineptitude of the Government has led to that response in Bolton. Ministers have been flitting between measures to suppress the virus and open the economy with no clear leadership or plan. The idiots are always going to question whether coronavirus actually exists given that the leadership has been so poor. I have no doubt this virus exists (IÂ’m a vet- I believe in viruses!) and I have no doubt it kills vulnerable people and some not so vulnerable in much smaller numbers (like flu). But I do take all decisions made but the Government with a major degree of scepticism now because, quite frankly, they havenÂ’t followed best evidence from the outset. Whether thatÂ’s their fault or that of their advisors doesnÂ’t matter. What matters is getting a clear message across to the public.

They lost many people over face masks. This is a respiratory disease. We were wearing face masks in our practice from mid March. You donÂ’t need a doctorate in virology to realise that any face covering will reduce spread and transmission. I understand that they didnÂ’t want PPE used up, but a plain message from the start stating that face coverings of any type should be worn in confined places would have sufficed. People would have done it immediately as they had been scared rigid already and it would have become the norm straight away.

Then testing, you canÂ’t go from telling everyone to get a test if youÂ’ve basically sneezed once, to then wonder why you are running out of tests within a few weeks when schools etc go back. I bored my wife rigid over this a few weeks ago, moaning about what they were playing at. It was inevitable. A simple vet like me could see that happening. Perhaps I should advertise my services as a management consultant!

Then the data interpretation on Covid related deaths. Prof Heneghan has been going on about this for months before the error was realised by PHE. It was shocking science and another nail in the coffin of public confidence.

Then they opened pubs on a Saturday. Well done (not!) to whoever thought that was a good idea!

So now we are in a situation where we have a disease that will kill vulnerable people, but due to extremely poor leadership and lack of a clear plan, the publicÂ’s will to follow their silly rules has waned and led to an increase in cases amongst the younger age groups. A trickle will feed through to the vulnerable, itÂ’s inevitable, but to say that most older folk havenÂ’t been scared witless would be crazy. Most are going to steer clear of pubs and restaurants and so on and take precautions so the effect on death rate will be nowhere near what it was in April. They should stick to testing medics and care workers almost daily to protect the most vulnerable.

And so now the Government has lost our will they have to beat us with a massive big stick. Who would have thought it would be illegal for me to have my own mother visit me and her grandchildren in my own home, or that I might be fined up to £10k for actually leaving my house, or that I might be reported by my neighbours for a five minute chat with a mate in my garden? How is it that everyone seems to just sit back and tolerate this? There could have been a better way.

Finally, who is actually going to want to go and get tested now you can be fined so heavily if you end up in the Tack and Trace system and happen to leave your house? Is anyone actually going to answer their phones to an unknown number anymore? IÂ’m not saying thatÂ’s right but it will be a continuing consequence.

I was a Tory member. Membership has been revoked!