When the only consistent thing is the lack of it

Last night I had an early dinner for the first time at a highly-recommended pub in West Sussex, which shall remain nameless partly because it is irrelevant for present purposes and partly because I enjoyed the atmosphere and my meal sufficiently that I fully intend to return there again and therefore here prefer to adopt the warm cloak of anonymity.

I shall begin by presenting the nearest I shall ever attempt to a restaurant review on the pages of this august organ.

The venue was a stereotypical classic old-fashioned country pub boasting a welcome friendly atmosphere, a large open wood-burning fire and distinct but similar well-appointed bar and restaurant areas.

As we arrived, somewhere towards the back of the L-shaped bar, a full-blown game of snooker was taking place.

There were several menus available, including festive and “two course for £22” versions.

Both food and the table service were excellent.

My subject de jour is the vexed one of how the country – and the Government – is dealing with the current surge in Covid-infections caused by the Omicron variant.

This boils down to a conflict between which should have priority – the ongoing public health concerns and the advice being given out in the cause of dealing with the UK’s particular current national Covid crisis – or (alternatively) the incessant bleatings of the hospitality and entertainment industries which seemingly (to me) having the overriding imperative that their cash flow is the only thing that matters – to the extent that, frankly, the issue of how many people get infected, hospitalised – and even die – along the way (including into the future) amounts to nothing more than plain-and-simple, unfortunate, but totally acceptable, “collateral” damage.

I don’t think I’m over-stating things.

See here for a typical example of what I’m referring to – a piece by Jane Fryer on how “scaremongering” by the medics/scientists and Government has affected the theatre industry – DAILY MAIL

Business’s headline watchword these days is “You cannot impose a stop-start approach to the Economy. You locked us all down but (despite all the furloughing, loans support and other temporary concessions you provided at the time) – once you then let us out again – you cannot be allowed to reimpose one …”

I mention this today because simultaneously it seems to me that – to all intents and purposes, perhaps in part prompted by the fact this is the height of the festive season – the great British public decided some time ago to let their standards and individual concerns about Covid slip.

Last night– apart from my partner and I, who arrived at the crowded pub last night bedecked in face masks – just one person (among the waiting staff) was wearing one.

To a man (or woman) everybody else present was both mask-free and partying (as the American warbler Prince was wont to sing) “like it was 1999” or indeed any normal Christmas season of the last thirty years.

Am I alone in seeing a fundamental inconsistency between Chris Witty, England’s chief (public health) medical officer, calling for the public to restrict their social gatherings to an absolute minimum this Christmas … plus the Government decreeing that from today (Friday 17^th December) anyone testing positive should immediately isolate for ten days … and yet the Government also allowing major sporting events with over 10,000 spectators expected to go ahead, provided that everyone attending can prove they’ve had every jab possible and/or have tested negative within the previous 48 hours?