I AM struggling to make sense of the current lockdown situation in so far as it relates to dealing with Covid. It seems that I can sleep with my wife but I cannot play tennis with her.

I can walk around a golf course carrying a bag of golf clubs but I am not allowed to hit a golf ball and play.

Since the golf clubs were allowed to open after the first lockdown Covid protection measures have been put in place and are still being enforced so no need to close golf clubs.

Both restrictions are difficult to see what they can achieve.

I can go to a shop providing if it is to buy essential items whatever may be deemed to be essential.

Does Covid only spread in certain shops?

I do not wish in any way to make light of the severity of this evil virus and the casualty figures speak for themselves but I am struggling to comprehend what this latest lockdown will achieve.

Prior to lockdown the hospitality industry had really got its act up together at what has been enormous expense.

Restaurants and pubs had put in place measures to safeguard their customers and I felt very comfortable visiting various local venues and I could see no benefit in closing them down for four weeks.

Those businesses are struggling to survive and by closing them down for a four week period will only add to their plight.

Why close gyms ? I am a member of the club at Meyrick and the precautions that have been taken there make for a very safe venue with numbers restricted, equipment shut down to allow for safe distancing, face masks worn whilst circulating, each piece of equipment sanitised before and after use and staff carrying out additional cleaning through out and members restricted in numbers by way of a pre booking system.

If the government is encouraging people to get fit this seems a very strange way of doing it.

As to the financial consequences of all of this the economy is heading for a crisis of massive proportion.

The treasury continue to throw vast sums of money to try and cover the costs of the virus and I suspect that when it is all added up the numbers will be horrendous.

The spending is in billions and not millions and at some time there will have to be a pay back day.

I can only wish for a successful outcome of the vaccine because if life has to continue under lock down rules much longer I fear for the future on many fronts.

A R BURDEN

Catalina Drive, Poole