COVID UPSURGE IS DOWN TO THE UNCARING YOUNG.

While the precise numbers may be debatable, it is clear that the COVID-19 epidemic is spreading rapidly again. Diagnosed infections are at the highest level recorded and deaths are creeping up although improved understanding of the condition and its treatment is likely to prevent the latter from reaching the numbers recorded earlier.

Despite the obvious need for serious action and even a return to near lockdown in some areas, an assortment of political figures in the worst affected places seem intent on criticising the government and demanding that they be given the power to decide what is done in their own areas, claiming that they have better knowledge of the epidemic than those at the centre. That this is nonsense seems obvious, but clearly not to those looking to make political capital out of a national crisis. They demand that yet more money is magicked-up by the government to support anyone and everyone, while saying little if anything about the personal responsibility of all those concerned.

The virus is spreading most rapidly in the north-west, north-east and Yorkshire regions of England and it is very clear that the spread is heavily concentrated amongst the 16-29 age group who are then spreading it further to older and more vulnerable people. Whenever it has been suggested that the failure to control and even eliminate the virus is not the fault of the government but of "the people", there have been howls of rage from some quarters but it is now abundantly obvious that some elements of "the people" are, indeed. responsible. 

Seeing television pictures of crowds gathering in town centres, completely ignoring the guidance about wearing masks, social distancing and the numbers who can gather together demonstrates just how selfish and uncaring some of the people are. Hearing of large outbreaks at several universities is a further indicator of the careless attitude of many younger people who no doubt are relying on the known fact that they are unlikely to be badly affected by the virus even if they do catch it. These utterly anti-social and irresponsible individuals need to be named and shamed without fear or favour. Whatever the shortcomings of government policy, it is these stupid and selfish young people who are putting the health of the rest of us in danger, and who are responsible for the social and economic fall out of the epidemic.

Overcoming this epidemic relies on all of the people abiding by the guidance and rules set out by the government. It is time for the young to realise this and to begin to act like the supposedly grown-up, intelligent adults that they claim to be.