I READ with great interest that the Bishop of Paisley has called for a 24-hour “circuit breaker” to be put in place on Christmas Day, amid warnings of a “digital Christmas”. Bishop Keenan compared the idea to the Christmas Day truce during World War One.
The bishop also said that great care would have to be taken to protect the vulnerable and the elderly, but raised the risk of “emptiness, loneliness and hopelessness at what should be the happiest time of year”. He said: “Flattening the curve of infection rates has been a laudable goal of government policy this year. Rather than flatten the curve of hope, let’s lift our spirits with the prospect of a merry Christmas and happy new year”.
READ MORE: Leading Scottish bishop calls for First World War-style Covid break on Christmas Day
As a slightly overweight, over-sixty-year-old, single person with a less than perfect set of lungs, I have endeavoured over the past six months to follow the Scottish Government’s guidelines to the letter and beyond. I have stayed in the hoose, taken only a daily donner for exercise, limited where possible my face-to-face contacts and shopped only weekly and then only from 9pm onwards.
If I was to take bishop’s advice, where could I go? In terms of family, I could spend the day with my 65-year-old cousin, currently recovering from bowel cancer surgery and immunosuppressed. I could violate the travel recommendations and visit my 95-year-old aunt in her own home about 50 miles away. I could travel 400 miles to see my other 96-year-old aunt in her nursing home – if the staff would let me in.
In terms of friends, I could have a very decent Christmas lunch with an 80-year-old close friend despite his heart condition – but I don’t think I will.
The past six months have been hard, the next six may be worse. Sad as it sounds, I am resigned to a digital Christmas alone with the TV, a good book and some telephone and maybe even video calls. I can live with that.
READ MORE: Dr Nicola Steedman shoots down plan for Covid 'amnesty' on Christmas day
No doubt if I contracted or passed on the Covid virus to family or friends on Christmas Day, Bishop Keenan would be able to offer us all his “thoughts and prayers”, but that would be of little practical help.
I have got used to various branches of the media undermining the Scottish Government’s public health message but never expected the clergy to join in.
Brian Lawson
Paisley
BISHOP Keenan draws a comparison between the Christmas Day truce of World War One and a Covid-restriction-free day on December 25. I see one enormous flaw in this.
The allies and the Germans in 1914 both agreed to the truce, and although we could unilaterally suspend our Covid fight for this coming Christmas Day the nasty virus certainly won’t take a day off. Christmas Day family get-togethers, should they be allowed, would become super spreader events.
Bob Geldof asks in his song, “Do they know it’s Christmas?” – well as far as the virus is concerned the answer is a resounding no!
Bill Drew
Kirriemuir
WHERE has Keny MacAskill been all this time (Yessers should ‘consider BBC fee boycott’, October 23)? I gave up my TV licence in 2014, as did many others. He appears to be completely unaware of this. Many people are still turning to this course of action – I understand that Scotland has the highest level of people boycotting the BBC in the UK. He’s pushing at an open door. We don’t watch their distorted broadcasts. There are other ways to keep abreast of current affairs, which are more trusted.
READ MORE: Kenny MacAskill calls on Yes voters to ‘consider BBC licence fee boycott’
This reminds me of the people who demand that the Yes campaign needs to be restarted etc. The Yes campaign has never stopped and in spite of the current restrictions, activists haven’t done a Rip van Winkle. We have continued in any way we can, whenever we can. Not by calling people names or seeking to make headlines, but taking every opportunity to quietly persuade and lead by our example of good humour, persistence and (dare I say this?!) our indefatigability.
Margaret Brogan
West Kilbride
I SAW Boris Johnson on TV news yesterday, talking about improving the quality of hospital food, Is this a precursor to a new Conservatoff policy of charging patients for meals in hospital situations? This would synchronise their philosophy of non-funding at-risk children (to stay alive by eating) adequately during holiday periods.
I don’t trust them to have not considered this already, and is there any doubt they are continuing to think and plan for it?
Keith MacLeod
Broxburn
WHEN asked to comment on the huge support for Scottish independence, Alister Jack is reported as ascribing this to our being “upset” over Brexit. He must then have cornered the market in understatement, continuing with the claim that the benefits would become clear “over time”. Singularly uninformed, he must however know it is his time that is over!
READ MORE: Alister Jack admits Brexit is fuelling Scottish independence support
Meanwhile his boss is committed to keeping the Union together, which is doomed, doomed I say, observing that he cannot even keep England together!
John Hamilton
Bearsden
I’D like to say a heartfelt thank you, via your letters page, to NHS Scotland for the treatment I received after my heart attack last week. It was, without exception, kind, courteous and caring.
This is the model for the kind of society which we would all like to live in, free from the greed and selfishness that seems to prevail elsewhere. We must keep the principle of public service alive, and that can only be achieved if Scotland takes control of its own future.
Pete Rowberry
Duns
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