Look to the east for ways to end the Corona Virus crisis
There are only four countries in the world that have brought Corona Virus under control and they are China, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong.
These countries are all from the east and their successful policies are very simple including checking for symptoms at borders and airports, quarantine the sick and tracking down and testing all the contacts.
There are five countries where the policies have been a complete disaster and they are USA, Italy, Spain, Germany and France. All the worst infected areas are either in the EU or in the USA.
Freedom of movement of peoples is a legal right within the USA and the EU. It is this right to move freely from one state to the next that has made it impossible to control the spread of Corona Virus.
Britain should look to the east for guidance. In the east there are four countries that have successfully brought Corona Virus under control. Lets follow the example of countries with a proven record of success.
Steve Halden
Lets start fighting back against Corona Virus 1/ Wear a mask in public. 2/ Close borders. 3/ Quarantine all suspected cases 14 days. 4/ Trace all contacts. 5/ Quarantine all contracts 14 days. 6/ Track down all all corona contacts. 7/ Quarantine all corona contacts 14 days. 8/ That is the only way to kill this virus. Lets start killing germs.
Letter printed in the Swindon Advertiser 20th March 2020
Britain never really tried to fight corona virus. We never closed our borders. We never checked peoples temperature at airports. We never quarantined people from infected areas. We are in a war for survival but even now we have not actually started to fight back.
The government is to spend 300 billion pounds on mitigating the effects of corona virus, but this is not the same as fighting and killing the virus. To fight the virus we needed to stop the virus entering Britain. Trace all contacts and quarantine them for two weeks.
Britain is to close all its schools, but closing schools will not actually kill any germs. These germs are dangerous. We need to isolate them and kill them. We are in a war. This war is more serious than world war two, but we as yet we have not even started to fight the corona virus.
Steve Halden
Letter printed in the Swindon Advertiser 20th February 2020
The coronavirus can now be called a pandemic because it has spread to every continent of the world.
It is a killer virus with a mortality rate of about two percent.
It spreads as easily as the common cold. It can even be spread by infected people that are showing no symptoms of the disease at all.
Many countries are now taking draconian action to protect their peoples. In China quarantine is not voluntary. Special medical police ruthlessly enforce their quarantine restrictions.
At the time of writing this letter Britain has not implemented any health checks on our borders. Considering the serious threat to life of the coronavirus we should at least be isolating people displaying flu symptoms as they enter Britain.
Steve Halden
Letter printed in the Swindon Advertiser 20th February 2020
House Prices Too High
House prices in Britain are far too high. The young cannot afford to rent or buy. The problem is that in Britain we are short of four million houses. It is this shortage that is pushing up the prices.
High house prices damage British industry. If rents are high then workers need a wage that will cover those rents. If Britain needs to pay high wages it makes it harder for us to export the things we make.
The high cost of housing in Britain is damaging our chances of future economic growth. Wages have to follow the rising cost of living and as wages go up then our exports become less competitive in world markets.
Steve Halden
Letter printed in the Swindon Advertiser 20th December Title Young People Betrayed
The young generation in Britain have never had it so bad. House prices today have risen far beyond the reach of most young people.
Britain is short of four million houses. The laws of supply and demand have taken their effect on the housing market. Rents have gone up to follow the rising house prices. While wages have failed to keep pace with rising rents.
The alternative of renting from the council is no longer an option because the Tories have sold of most of the council houses under the Right to Buy Scheme.
The young generation in Britain have been betrayed. House prices are far too high. The young cant afford to rent or buy. They have never had it so bad.
