Concern at decision to further relax Covid-19 restrictions

The story goes we can rely upon positive behaviour by the majority of people. Ok, by July 19 it is expected there will be some 55,000 cases of Covid-19 but again we can be assured a large degree of responsible public behaviour. The Conservative Party has learnt the manipulative trick of appealing to many in the wider public by suggesting they are sensible enough to behave properly, without government controls; there are countless examples to show the very opposite is true.

Sajid Javid, the new Secretary of State for Health, is adamant in favour of lifting all restrictions as indeed are the majority of Conservative backbenchers, including no doubt our local MPs for Watford and South West Herts. Business and making money are the priority. So what if many more thousands of people must suffer the Covid disease?

SAGE, the scientific advisor to the government, has expressed concern about a third wave of Coronavirus as we head towards winter.

And of course who is there to service the ever escalating cases? It is the demoralised NHS staff on their miserable one per cent pay rise.

And one can be assured a fair number of the great British public will convince themselves Boris Johnson is doing a good job as Prime Minister.

What is going on simply takes your breath away!

Francis Durham

Rickmansworth

The NHS marked its’ 73rd ‘birthday’ on July 5 after a year like no other.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals across the country have cared for around 400,000 seriously ill Covid-19 patients, including more than 100,000 admitted in January alone, while continuing to manage ‘everyday’ health and wellbeing concerns of the population.

At the same time, the NHS has rolled out the biggest vaccination programme in our history. In Hertfordshire and West Essex, 991,845 people have already had at least one vaccination, with 743,795 now fully protected (July 1 figures). This huge achievement is thanks to the collective effort of GP practice staff, community and hospital trusts, and everyone who has responded to the call to protect themselves, their friends and their families against the virus by getting vaccinated.

Our vaccination sites have been supported by thousands of dedicated volunteers who have selflessly given up their time week in, week out, and in all weathers, to help clinics run smoothly.

We could not have made it through our 73rd year without the commitment and dedication of our staff, including those who heeded the call to return to work from retirement, supported by volunteers, keyworkers and the public. We have been hugely moved by the care and generosity which has been shown to our people; from shopkeepers shepherding NHS staff to the front of queues, teachers caring for our children during lockdown and members of the public fundraising for NHS charities, your kindness has made a huge difference.

We therefore want to use our 73rd birthday as an opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has helped the NHS this year – your ongoing support means more to us than any birthday present.

Dr Jane Halpin and the Rt Hon. Paul Burstow

Chief Executive and Chair of the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care System

It was lovely to read a letter in last week’s paper about the Dome roundabout with a different possibility for the roundabout’s name.

It got me thinking further as I remember the petrol station where the flats are now and recall some kind of dome-like canopy too, so it seemed a really good alternative – sadly we don’t have any images of this structure in the collection. However, in the past few days, I’ve suddenly come across some exciting new information.

It seems that it may not be a canopy that lends its name to the roundabout but an earlier business here in the early 1930s. We’ve always known that there was a petrol station here, but not that around 1933, it was named the Dome Service Station. I wonder if this is the true origins of the name? It’s difficult to tell which came first, the petrol station or the gas holder? Perhaps another little nugget of information will turn up soon that will explain it all.

Christine Orchard,

Volunteer Archivist, Watford Museum

Like many people in Watford I'm beginning to take climate change seriously and I'm delighted that for once the main political parties agree on the need for urgent action if we are to meet the UK's commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. They are to be congratulated. But I'm concerned that so far little is actually being done and that the Government is failing to match many of its promises with action.

We are just months away from the COP26 Conference in Glasgow and yet the Climate Change Committee, a government advisory body, warned this week that there is at present a "vacuum" in policy. So come on Boris, please give climate change the attention so many of us think it deserves. If you turn your promises into action you will have the thanks of us all.

Philip Parry

South West Herts Labour Party

For many of us, some of our happiest childhood memories are from summer beach holidays, camping adventures and ice creams in the park. Summer is often associated with feelings of happiness, freedom and adventure.

However, for many children and young people across London, the reality of this time of year can be very different.

Although it can have its own challenges, school can provide a vital lifeline for many young people, often giving them a safe space in which to express themselves and to feel nurtured and supported.

Without it, as we’ve seen over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, many can find themselves increasingly lonely, anxious and even unsafe.

Summer holidays can also be a challenging time for disadvantaged families, as inequality becomes apparent through inadequate access to provisions and childcare, perhaps coupled with reduced income.

That’s why at Barnardo’s, the UK’s largest children’s charity, we have launched our Unseen Summer campaign. We would like to ask readers to help support some of the country’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable children and families by making a donation.

The money will be spent on fun summer activities for children with disabilities, the disadvantaged and young carers who can feel isolated at home caring for parents or siblings. It will also support mental health and wellbeing services, provide food parcels for those in need and help protect those at risk of abuse and exploitation. You can find out more and make a donation at www.barnardos.org.uk/unseen-summer.

On behalf of the children, young people and families we work with, a huge thank you, your kind donation will help us to make a difference.

Lynn Gradwell

Director, Barnardo’s London

The coronavirus pandemic has been difficult for us all, but it has been particularly challenging for people living with diabetes.

New figures highlighted by Diabetes UK this week show that almost 2.5 million people with diabetes in England did not get all their recommended checks last year. These checks are essential to reducing the risk of serious complications such as blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, amputations, and poor pregnancy outcomes.

Coronavirus has also highlighted just how serious diabetes is as an underlying condition, with people with diabetes accounting for one in three deaths in England during the first wave of the pandemic.

Diabetes can’t wait. It is one of our fastest-growing health crises, with one in 14 people living with diabetes in the UK. We want to see UK Government invest more in diabetes care and prevention as the country rebuilds from the pandemic – and as part of our new campaign, Diabetes Is Serious, we are asking people to sign our open letter to the new health secretary, Sajid Javid, to ask him to make sure diabetes is a priority.

The NHS has been stretched and staff have worked tirelessly to keep us safe throughout the pandemic. What we need is Government action to support our health system in these uncertain times – to ensure people living with diabetes get the vital care they need.

To find out more and to sign our letter to the Secretary of State for Health, visit: www.diabetes.org.uk/DiabetesIsSerious.

Peter Shorrick

Midlands and East Regional Head, Diabetes UK