'Pingdemic' is a massive failure of government - YEP letters

Here we go again, another massive failure by our government re: the NHS “ping” system. The situation which has evolved in the last few days has created, yet again, even more confusion.

All individuals pinged were to self-isolate putting immense pressure on the food chain, NHS, emergency services and many other commercial businesses and services.

Then Environment Secretary George Eustice announced the same day that food chain workers would be exempt, but no others would be included.

Then the next day 16 more organisations were included so their staff would also be exempt.

As for the ping system, it has clearly failed so why bother with it, it’s a disaster? The sudden changes at the “drop of a hat” were only made due to commercial and public furore, all because of the government failing to get their act together from the outset.

Boris Johnson, Hancock (now gone), Eustice, Williamson, Patel, Jenrick and Shapps, etc etc, have again proved themselves useless in one way or another.

The Ping system is a total shambles, as is the government regarding the handling of the pandemic.

The initial announcement indicating hundreds of thousands were to self-isolate on receiving a ping has now fallen flat and is now a pointless system, the immediate variations have made it so.

The government’s failure by way of their lack of thinking/ foresight, proper planning, presumably no discussions with the food chain industry or other essential sectors, etc, makes no sense.

The ping system is clearly creating mayhem and is unfit for purpose, damaging businesses and livelihoods in the process.

In addition to the debacle of the ping system, the government’s decision for nightclub access in late September via a vaccine passport displays a further lack of pre-thinking, common sense or planning for the younger generation who must then produce a passport to gain access to such establishments having been “suitably jabbed”. Until then they can enter nightclubs at will and by September the damage will be done as evident from recent TV footage with Covid infections likely being out of control by passport day.

Two illustrations of a failing and farcical government and clear demonstrations of the government’s abysmal forward thinking thought process, ie shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.