On Tuesday, January 19, my wife’s Facebook page flashed up a warning “Coronavirus rates still too high in Tendring”.

“Is it surprising?” was my response.

Lots of things Political view at the highest level, our demographic, social and economic make-up, and national rule-making going into December have combined to whip up the perfect storm for Tendring.

Firstly at district level our leader goes public with the “lockdowns don’t work” spiel.

I would argue it depends what you want to achieve. If it’s curing the virus, I would agree to an extent - but if it’s containment and protecting vulnerable people and keeping pressure off the NHS and subsequently saving lives, I would vehemently oppose his comments.

Lockdowns, the stricter the better, clearly achieve this aim.

Secondly, our MP manages to secure Tier 2 status for Tendring longer than anywhere else in Essex, Colchester and Uttlesford aside, at a time when the case rates around us are growing exponentially, at a time when many of our younger population work in the care industry, both in private homes and care homes.

With our Tier 2 status in the run-up to Christmas, the Christmas Day relaxation and the Tier 4 shopping trips to our towns, many of this cohort would have been infected in this period. Many would have been working in the care sector over Christmas unaware they were invisible carriers of the virus.

Many of our younger population who work in essential roles such as care, supermarkets and construction have children of all ages. These are - within the rules, remember - allowed to send them into schools and nurseries, another place for this invisible enemy to fester.

Add to the mix the low income of many of the families working in these industries and the financial pressures this time of year brings, many won’t be able to bear the burden of self-isolation, so will take the decision to soldier on.

This is not a great decision, but understandable if you are not that unwell and skint.

So the circle of infection continues and given all the above is within the rules (except ignoring self-isolation). The rate of infection will take some time to abate in Tendring.

I’m also led to believe that despite having such an elderly population, we are some way behind with the vaccination programme here in Tendring.

I don’t blame anybody for the situation we are in, it’s unprecedented, but please think about our ever-growing population, its age and how its economy works, before chasing your own personal or political beliefs. Remember, your views and decisions matter.

My father died on December 29, having caught Covid-19 in hospital some 32 days earlier, and my mother is now in hospital with Covid - having caught it in a care home.

Rates of infection in Tendring are too high? Well, I say, is it surprising?

Peter Halliday

Gorse Lane, Clacton

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