Government indecision is still costing lives in the UK (25 October 2021)

Summary

In this blog for The BMJ Opinion, John Middleton argues that the Government must act now, or be faced with much tougher decisions and less popular choices as the winter kicks in. He describes the increasing rates of Covid-19 in the UK and the need for action to avoid a healthcare crisis this winter, highlighting that the NHS and the BMA have both called for urgent action to protect the NHS.

He urges the Government to take a multi-faceted approach and use the 'Swiss Cheese' model to combat the spread of coronavirus, rather than focusing on single measures. Living with the virus involves changes to normal life, but they are a small price to pay to save lives, protect people from the long term effects of Covid and prevent the evolution of new virus strains.