by Will Hutton on (#565T1)
Epic challenges face us, yet the government is unprepared and devoid of imaginationThe last week has been my most human for four months. I have been to a hairdresser; eaten out in restaurants and at friends’ homes; played tennis and golf; stood in the street talking with work colleagues; and, what seemed most novel of all, shared a beer in a pub. It all feels rather heady.But none of it was normal. Everybody wore masks at the hairdresser; the restaurants were deserted; windows and doors were wide open at my friends; we had the inside of the pub to ourselves. Meanwhile, Zooming continues unabated; public transport still seems a risk of last resort; and, in the supermarket on Friday, I wore a mask like everyone else – and thought this right and unremarkable. Go into our city centres and they are eerily quiet. What is human and how we interact are being redefined.Suddenly it is obvious that a resilient public health system is the cornerstone of a functioning economy and society. Continue reading...