What's Wrong With Wales?
Since May 11th those people lucky enough to live in England have been able to take day trips to places as far away as can be reasonably visited in a day, so, for example, were I to be staying with my father, I could drive to the coast and YES spend a day sunbathing on the golden sand of the South Kentish coast. From the 11th MAY!
But I don't live in England, I live in Wales where for some reason that isn't being explained, the advice is different. In Wales the only lifting of restriction that was of note on the 11th May was that you could go out more than once a day... Thank you Welsh Ass and thanks again for your fine leadership in the current round of restriction lifting... Not...
Let's deal with todays news point by disappointing point... But first let's highlight something that is reported on the BBC News pages that might blow your mind and is something that I've been shouting about since Covid Day 1... The Welsh Government has been advised that the virus survives "only for minutes outside but for hours on indoor surfaces".
The shameful treatment of those living in Wales, like the edict of some Dark Ages overlord, forcing us to fear venturing further than five miles from our settlement, deserves railing against.
Here are todays changes that are all we get for the next three weeks...
Members of two separate households in the same local area will be able to meet outdoors, maintaining social distancing and "strict hand-hygiene"
The two households can meet in private outdoor spaces, such as gardensÂ
Weddings and civil partnerships can take place if the bride or groom is terminally ill
What world does Mark Drakeford live in? A walk through Bute Park or along the Cardiff Bay Barrage, since the start of the virus and certainly since May 11th, clearly shows to anyone with eyes that the majority are out with a friend, that picnicking and sunbathing has been commonplace, that groups of cyclists or groups of guys playing football are seen on EVERY visit. All Drakeford has done there is to legalise what is already beyond his control to control.
I've stuck to the guidelines throughout, almost... I must admit to walking with a friend on two occasions, of course with a 2m distance between us and no hugging... Many from other households have been hosted in the gardens and houses of friends or family members. I've observed this. Again, Drakeford is only legalising that that is already widespread practice.
And I should bloody well hope so. The most distressing thing I've heard about the behaviour of the government policy makers and medical professionals implementation of such is disallowing parents to see their dying child. Shameful and unforgivable. Who do these people think they are?
And so back to The Welsh Government has been advised that the virus survives "only for minutes outside but for hours on indoor surfaces". I've been shouting this to all that would listen since day 1. Virus' die under solar radiation. Virus' don't much like salt either. And yet we are being forced to avoid the wealth of fabulous beaches that we have on three sides of Wales during this glorious run of daily Canarian blue skies and air temperatures.
Close the boarders and keep the English out, I'd have not much of a problem with that. That would assuage fears of an exodus from England to Wales for a day out at the beach... The continuance of treating citizens of Wales so differently from those in England seems to be the wielding of devolved powers for the sake of wielding them. The R Number is about 0.8 in Wales and is just 0.05 lower than in England at 0.85, really it's about the same across the UK. So... Why the difference of approach?
I therefore say 'Let us retain our mental and physical health by allowing us to travel to exercise and importantly to go visit the places that kill virus', the beaches.
Or perhaps it's better for us to have a stream of single household visits until we are so fed up with that we just start having larger gatherings. After all, you have been able to play golf or buy or sell property for some time now... It would appear that the wealthies key interests have been looked after and the wealthy that have broken the rules remain un-punished. You have been able to get on buses and trains and buy a coffee in Cardiff Bay and pizza in Bute Park and today I went to B and Q and bought a load of pic and mix screws and nails... And don't get me onto the discrepancy of UK Gov 2m rule and WHO's 1m. Or the total uselessness of face masks...
Such craziness I never thought I'd witness outside of a comic satire or dark dystopian novel.
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