What the papers said in the week ending July 10th
Care Homes and Care services
Boris Johnson guaranteed Care Homes and Care workers front page attention because of his bumbled address in Goole this week. It looks as though he set out to say that we must improve care services, which is true, and it is good to know the Prime Minister is at one with us in this. In the process he appeared to blame Care Homes and their staff for causing unnecessary deaths amongst residents. That is a cruel and unjustified suggestion. There will be a national and international inquiry into the deaths arising from the coronavirus. We will see that many errors have been made in this country and some others. Care Homes and care home staff are innocent victims. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/06/anger-after-johnson-appears-to-blame-care-homes-for-their-high-death-toll
The conditions under which care staff work are exposed in a powerful and upsetting review by Aditya Chakrabortthy. This is a situation which should not have been created in a civilised country. It should not have been tolerated in silence – and we surely must campaign now for a transformation back toward systems and standards which were taken as normal not so many years ago. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/09/care-workers-coronavirus-poverty-sickness-statutory-sick-pay
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/07/why-britain-needs-a-national-care-service
International considerations of Covid-19
- Although there is evidence that the rates of new infections and deaths are falling in this country, and constraints are being relaxed, the world picture is very alarming. With a return to freer travel, risks seem likely to rise for everyone https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/09/covid-19-pandemic-accelerating-says-who-as-review-panel-namedery
- Clinicians continue to draw attention to relatively rare, but very serious brain disorder as a consequence of Covid infections. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/08/warning-of-serious-brain-disorders-in-people-with-mild-covid-symptoms
- Epidemiologists will follow such patients and other Covid victims in longitudinal studies https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/10/participants-uk-coronavirus-study-could-be-monitored-25-years
Consequences
There have been so many extra deaths. The need for counselling and spiritual support is great, compounded by the restrictions which have disallowed normal routines associated with dying. These will be long-term legacies of these dreadful times. Will they ever heal? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/06/uk-charities-face-soaring-demand-for-grief-counselling-due-to-covid-19
Places of worship
It is now possible for churches and other places of worship to open. Business cannot yet be conducted as usual, but there is movement and there is a return to hope https://www.gov.uk/government/news/places-of-worship-to-re-open-for-individual-prayer
Other points of interest
Freedom of speech: The Guardian has been moved to offer multiple comments on an article published by Harper’s magazine and signed by 160 intellectuals. The article suggests that people who express views at odds with the mainstream, or government, or management culture are at risk of being silenced, abused, sacked or otherwise punished. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/08/is-free-speech-under-threat-cancel-culture-writers-respond
https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/
Scots Gaelic: politicians have taken up the challenge to reverse the decline of the language – reported on last week from a study by the University of the Highlands and Islands https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/05/scottish-politicians-call-for-urgent-action-to-stop-gaelic-dying-out
Prisoners: Many prisoners have no home to go to when they are released. The situation is made worse by Covid-19 and the restrictions. Prisoners aged over 45 are at the greatest risk of being without a home to go to. Lack of a home predicts re-offending, ill health and death https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/08/thousands-of-high-risk-offenders-in-uk-freed-into-homelessness
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/housing.html
Windrush: ‘Becalmed’ might be felt to be the wrong word – but how else to describe the phenomenon whereby awareness of the wrongs which need to be made right, and availability of money to do what is right, continues to find no action. This week’s update counts the deaths of people waiting for their rightful recompense. Windrush: at least five who applied for compensation die before receiving it
David Jolley
