I HAVEN’T been well since February 28 when I went to Manchester Airport to pick up a friend returning from the States and my story that day is that as an ex-taxi driver, I went expecting pandemic restrictions to be in place.

I remember HIV and the SARS virus and did many pick ups during the latter where everyone was arriving at the airport in space suits. So I went to Manchester on the 28th dressed accordingly only to be laughed at by most and told by security to take my mask off as it was causing unnecessary panic!

Sobering now. Neither I nor my returning friend have been well since that day but I remain in that category of not being ill enough to admit to hospital and so have been self isolating still not knowing if my condition is the sort of chill I often suffer from or is COVID-19 related. Hence I am one of those doing nothing at the moment for fear of the latter and who I might infect with it if I have caught the beast. A simple test to clarify would make an enormous difference to me (and many, many others) who are stuck not wanting to burden the NHS further.

Is it acceptable that the British (and other authorities) went into this crisis with over three months notice but did nothing? And I mean serious nothing by way of preparation. Had I gone to Seoul airport in my space suit, I would not have been laughed at. Germany would at least have tested me by now. Sweden would have said “so long as you act like a responsible adult, you can carry on as normal”.

Not great being British at the moment.

Gary Boswell

Cartmel Rise

Grange-over-Sands