What the papers said in the week ending 15 January 2021
The main news has been unspeakable: the most senior politicians in the country having been found to have broken their own rules, which were designed to protect the nation, by holding parties with no regard for the rules or social distancing; a member of the House of Lords is accused of promoting the cause of a firm, with which she had connections, to receive contracts for items to protect people from covid-19 – even before that firm had become fully registered; the world’s number one Tennis Seed has been arrested and eventually deported from Australia for breach of covid regulations; Prince Andrew faces charges in court and has been stripped of his titles and military positions.
A glimmer of light and warmth came from a series of letters in the Guardian telling tales of letters which have been delivered successfully to people for whom this was important, from people for whom this was important, even though they did not have much of an address to help the Post Office.
In this grim time:
Increase in the cost of fuel, especially gas, will affect many older people who have downsized to flats: Energy bills: flat dwellers face massive rise despite price cap | Energy bills | The Guardian
Rural communities may lose their buses – greatly disadvantaging older people: Bus services in England face axe as end to emergency Covid funding looms | Business | The Guardian It is possible that alternative minibus services can be arranged
People respond to the news of socialising events at 10 Downing Street by remembering how their lives and deaths have been affected by adhering to lockdown rules: Rory Kinnear: On the day of No 10’s lockdown party, I buried my sister | Rory Kinnear | The Guardian
The political party in government and associated with these indiscretions wants new legislation to limit the right to protest: The Guardian view on criminalising protest: the Lords must take a stand | Editorial | The Guardian
The government is changing rules about self-isolation to allow return to full activities within five days of a positive test, though a third of people will remain infectious Cutting the Covid isolation period to five days is foolhardy and dangerous | Sally Cutler | The Guardian
- Germany is aware of more cases and is taking action Germany reports record number of daily Covid cases | Germany | The Guardian
- WHO predicts that half the population of Europe may be infected very soon: Omicron could infect 50% of Europeans in next two months, says WHO | Coronavirus | The Guardian
- The strategy of multiple booster vaccinations is deemed unlikely to control the surges in numbers and proliferation of new variants Repeated Covid boosters not viable strategy against new variants, WHO experts warn | Coronavirus | The Guardian
And in the UK the possibility of need for more hospitalisations with covid-19 has moved the Minister for Health to spend millions of pounds to pre-book beds in private hospitals Javid tells NHS England to give private hospitals up to £270m in case of Omicron surge | NHS | The Guardian
Those beds may never be used – We hope they never become necessary
History tells us:
That the fabled warhorses of WW1 were small: Medieval warhorses no bigger than modern-day ponies, study finds | Archaeology | The Guardian
And a serendipitous advantage from the HS2 project tell us more and more of life which has been buried: Roman town’s remains found below Northamptonshire field on HS2 route | Archaeology | The Guardian
Some good news:
Work on Smart Motorways is to stop while more statistics and more thoughts are gathered: Smart motorway rollout suspended amid safety concerns | Transport | The Guardian
People are buying, and hopefully reading, more books: UK book sales in 2021 highest in a decade | Booksellers | The Guardian
Tales of British country folk retain their allure – and share messages of basic values: All Creatures Great and Small gently conquers America | Drama | The Guardian
The stampede from towns and cities to the countryside and seaside seems not to be happening quite as feared: Fears of pandemic exodus from England’s cities prove unfounded | Communities | The Guardian
Time and distance are effective counters to the covid-19 virus: Covid loses 90% of ability to infect within 20 minutes in air – study | Coronavirus | The Guardian
The church headline of the week, encourages the Church of England to follow Methodists and the church in Wales to provide for same-sex marriages: The Guardian view on same-sex weddings in church: the zeitgeist is moving | Editorial | The Guardian
Reassurance: It does seem that independent review is still available and will be respected: No 10 party inquiry will reveal ‘farcical’ culture, say Whitehall sources | Boris Johnson | The Guardian
David Jolley
