The Guardian view on coronavirus tests: political choices have hurt the UK | Editorial

Damaging ideas within the Conservative party have weakened our ability to defeat the virusThe coronavirus pandemic struck the United Kingdom when its National Health Service was on its knees suffering from staff shortages and thelongest waiting times ever recorded. A decade of austerity had taken a terrible toll. Yet public satisfaction in the NHSwent up. This surprising gap between the NHS failures and the public ’s belief in the health system seems to have been driven by the support from across the political spectrum for more funding. This probably, say researchers, started to impact on public perceptions, most notably on their optimism for the future.It would be a mistake to think the spread of Covid-19 can be checked by hope alone. The last 10 years have undermined the ability of the government to respond effectively and efficiently. As the UN rapporteur on extreme povertytold the Guardian, the “most damaging aspects of ‘austerity’ cannot and will not be undone” and represent “the fatal weakening of the community’s capacity to cope”.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Coronavirus outbreak Conservatives Health policy NHS UK news Society Infectious diseases Politics Public services policy Boris Johnson Science Source Type: news