Thank you for contacting me about the Government's approach to tackling Coronavirus.
I appreciate that this is a very challenging time for everybody and that there are differing opinions on how best to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. The Government has made what it believes to be proportionate decisions based on the scientific advice that it regards as the best available.
Lockdowns and other restrictions have caused enormous stress and disruption to people’s lives. Lockdowns do cause side effects and we must be mindful of these when considering policy options. Ministers state that they have taken a range of consequences into account when making policy choices.
It is important that Parliament has additional opportunities to thoroughly examine new measures before they are put in place wherever that can be achieved and the Government has committed to this. MPs have a crucial role to play in scrutinising future restrictions to best assess the impact on our constituencies.
Herd immunity is not considered by Ministers to be a pragmatic or appropriate solution to the current situation and has never been part of the UK’s strategy action plan. Ministers are convinced that, while it is true that most people do not experience serious illness from coronavirus, there remain too many people who would die of this disease.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
October 2020