ONE of the borough’s four MPs has launched an urgent appeal to start lifting lockdown restrictions.
Sir John Redwood has written to the Government, urging them to review the current policy – despite the World Health Organisation warning over the weekend that making changes too early could spark a “deadly resurgence” in the coronavirus.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general, said: “The way down can be as dangerous as the way up if not managed properly”.
But Sir John said: “It is urgent to start lifting restrictions. Many more people will lose their jobs if the lockdown continues”.
He warned that self-employed people and small businesses are struggling and that there had to be limits on Government support.
“An advanced society needs substantial amounts of work to be undertaken so we have the output of goods and services which sustains living standards,” he said.
“It is time to start to get the UK back to work, whilst protecting the vulnerable and reducing the risks of catching the disease for the rest of us in sensible ways.”
Sir John’s comments come as Spain allows some workers to return to their offices, while Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said the UK was likely to be “one of the worst, if not the worst affected country in Europe”.
The veteran Wokingham MP published his letter, which he said he has sent to the cabinet, on his blog.
In it, he outlines his thinking: “Policy should make it as easy as possible for all in the at-risk groups to self-isolate, to prevent infection. Efforts need to be redoubled to ensure on line deliveries of food and other items to these households, and proper financial support for those in vulnerable categories who have lost jobs or income over it.”
He added: “You need to take urgent action to save the economy.
“None of us have ever witnessed such a sharp contraction in economic activity, with an all too rapid surge in unemployment.
“There will also be far too many business failures if this carries on for much longer. You need to make sure this is the shortest-lived downturn as well as the deepest.
“This means a new policy of trying to get as many people and businesses as possible back to work, with sensible modifications to working arrangements to reduce risk of infection.”
He added that companies can use modern technology to ensure people can still work from home, and they should make every effort to ensure workers maintain a safe distance.
“Factories tend to use large amounts of machinery already, reducing the numbers of employees on line and usually allowing social distancing,” Sir John wrote. “Where they do not they may need additional automation. You could consider asking people to wear face masks when working with others.”
Sir John’s letter in full
Dear Colleague
It is time to review the lock down policy.
You will wish to have as your highest priority taking actions to reduce deaths from this disease. The evidence is abundant that the most at risk groups are the elderly and those with other medical conditions that makes them especially vulnerable to the severe form of the infection.
Policy should make it as easy as possible for all in the at risk groups to self isolate, to prevent infection Efforts need to be redoubled to ensure on line deliveries of food and other items to these households, and proper financial support for those in vulnerable categories who have lost jobs or income over it.
Your review takes place against the background of the good news that NHS capacity has been much increased and is well above current high levels of demand for care from CV 19 patients.
You need to take urgent action to save the economy. None of us have ever witnessed such a sharp contraction in economic activity, with an all too rapid surge in unemployment. There will also be far too many business failures if this carries on for much longer. You need to make sure this is the shortest lived downturn as well as the deepest.
This means a new policy of trying to get as many people and businesses as possible back to work, with sensible modifications to working arrangements to reduce risk of infection. It should be assumed that most businesses re open, with more home working and more remote technology use. Offices may want to have more people working from home to allow more space for each employee in the office. More business meetings should take place with remote technology even where people are in the same offices. Factories tend to use large amounts of machinery already, reducing the numbers of employees on line and usually allowing social distancing. Where they do not they may need additional automation. You could consider asking people to wear face masks when working with others.
It is urgent to start lifting restrictions. Many more people will lose their jobs if the lock down continues. Many self employed have no income from work. Many small businesses are struggling to pay their overheads with no revenue. There are limits to how much the state can substitute for the loss of income. If we go on like this large amounts of economic capacity will be permanently lost. An advanced society needs substantial amounts of work to be undertaken so we have the output of goods and services which sustains living standards. It is time to start to get the UK back to work, whilst protecting the vulnerable and reducing the risks of catching the disease for the rest of us in sensible ways.
