ON Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that that the relaxation of lockdown planned for Saturday would be delayed for at least a fortnight.

He explained this unexpected delay, describing how he “would not hesitate to take swift and decisive action” to keep coronavirus under control and also that the rate of coronavirus infection had risen through July, up from 2,000 per day to 4,200.

What I find worrying is that Boris Johnson is not actually taking “decisive” action. The situation that saw the rate of infection – more than double through July has not been tackled.

While lockdown reduced the infection rate, unless we have systems in place to further suppress the infection, as lockdown ends the infection will simply take off again. And this take-off has been happening through July.

Delaying planned actions for August will itself not stop July’s take-off continuing in August while the blunt instrument of local lockdowns will soon lose public support if they continue to be the sole method of control.

“Test test test” was the advice given to governments by the WHO back in early March and that advice remains relevant today.

Back in April Boris Johnson described coronavirus as an “invisible mugger”. Testing makes the invisible visible yet our test and trace system remains dysfunctional and sorely in need of some swift and decisive action.

DR MARTIN RODGER

Bloxworth Road, Parkstone