Daily Times

With the British government’s ambitious plans for lifting most COVID-19 restrictions just three weeks away, concerns are piling up over the timing given the gradual resurgence in cases and emergence of the Indian variant which has remained a cause of great distress inseveral parts of the world.

Though 21 June is the set date for lifting basic restrictions for ensuring return of’normalcy’, it seems that Prime Minister Boris Johnson may likely have to extend them.

The PM’sformer close aide Dominic Cummings and Labour leader Keir Starmer have already expressed their grave concerns over the government’s haphazard approach over the past year or so and specifically pointed out the mismanagement which led to thousands of lives being lost in a span of just a few months.

Though Cummings’scathing criticism of the government is linked to his personal feud with seniorWhitehall officials, his detailed take cannot be ignored onhow lockdowns were delayed last year which caused massive spike in cases and death toll. Similarly, Starmer’s take that incompetence and infightingdefines the Johnson-led government should be taken seriously in context of lack of tangible contact tracing and border controls.

Britain’s mishandling had not only led to a mass surge in cases but also dealt a blow to the economy and businesses.

There is no remedy in sight for uplifting the economy or relaxing all restrictions in the short-run given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic.

Notably, travel and hospitality industries still haven’t recovered regardless of a green list announced earlier this month which is more or less similar to last year’s short-lived travel corridor.

But is the red list based on science or politics? Evidence suggests that some countries with much lower cases such as Pakistan were unduly added in haste. India, which is the source of the much-feared Indian variant, was only added once it was clear that it’s too late. Even other countries such as France were never added despite legitimate calls.

Politics based on economic interests triumphing over science is a tragedy which was avoidable. But did anyone in the top brass care? A question on the minds of countless scientists, journalists and academics.

Although the vaccination drive is in full swing which should be appreciated, the key objectives of crisis management were a complete failure.

Now we’re hearing of a hybrid varian in Vietnam which combines both UK and Indian ones. An ominous sign of the things to come.

It’s imperative for an overall review of restrictions and red/green list countries based on science and nothing else. Hence, Whitehall should ensure implementation of SOPs in letter and spirit to avoid another painful lockdown. *