Children are the future. Why aren’t we protecting them in this pandemic?

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

While the mantra of “protecting the NHS to save lives” is all well and good, doing so by shutting away anyone over the age of 60 “for their own safety” is quite clearly nonsense. The only ones who really matter and should be protected as much as possible, are our children. They are the future.

To see televised images of primary school pupils of five, six and seven sitting separately at desks exactly two metres apart, looking frightened and confused, wearing face masks that must be doing immeasurable long-term harm to their respiratory systems, is just plain wrong.

For children not to see, to touch, to hug and embrace their 90-year-old grannies, is just plain wrong.

For children not to mix and play with children from other households, to explore life together, is just plain wrong.  

Are these regulations, as sceptics suspect, all a dastardly plot by certain senior advisers to consign parliamentary democracy to the dustbin of history, to be replaced by their own vision of how and by whom this once great nation should be run?

Brian Ward

County Durham  

As the nation sat and waited on Saturday for the prime minister to speak, Boris Johnson, with his usual arrogance, clearly thought it would be perfectly acceptable to keep us all waiting.

Somehow I feel Margaret Thatcher, John Major or even David Cameron and Theresa May wouldn’t have kept us all waiting for such an important announcement. They’d have all been on time.

I believe it’s high time the Conservatives fronted their huge mistake, and found themselves a competent new leader and prime minister.

Michael W Cook

Buckinghamshire

I read Tom Peck’s column (Boris Johnson’s Covidiot army won’t take yes for an answer, 2 November) with interest and take on board many of his pertinent comments that Boris Johnson got rid of so many decent Conservative MPs for their seeming lack of loyalty, but of course, their loyalty was indisputably to the country and not to the debacle that is Brexit.

Peck is right too that anarchy, discombobulation and spreading disharmony in the higher echelons of the civil service, does not make a genius out of Dominic Cummings, in fact, a consummate troublemaker is more apt.  

It was obvious too that Johnson had to get Steve Baker on board in relation to the latest lockdown as he and his Eurosceptic mates seem to rule the unruly roost and we know we are in trouble when John Redwood’s lugubrious face comes into view. Their ideological stance in the Conservative Party has taken up the bandwidth of reasonable, sane and sensible debate for far too long now and, along with Cummings, they have bent the prime minister’s ear with a diligence that never should be allowed or countenanced, particularly in relation to Covid-19, which is life-threatening, and Brexit, which has always been barmy at the best of times and now we are slam-bang in the worst.  

Judith A Daniels

Great Yarmouth

Robert Fisk was a friendly, energetic and inspirational reporter. He inspired a generation of journalists by the skill and beauty of his prose and by the depth of his commitment to relay the suffering of people whose struggles would otherwise have gone unrecorded (or badly recorded, which is much the same thing).

James Schofield (former Lebanon correspondent of the Financial Times)

Address supplied  

It is difficult to find the words to describe the profound impact Robert Fisk has had on shaping our view of the world. He was a journalist like no other: fearless, bold, unapologetic, eloquent and humble. He was always true to his word; never compromising his integrity and authenticity. I had the honour of speaking to him this summer following the devastating events in Lebanon and shall always appreciate his kindness, brilliance and candour. The world of journalism needs more Robert Fisks, but I fear he was a rare diamond. We will always treasure what he gave us and shall miss him and his work terribly. Thank you “Fisky”, RIP.

Amira Harb

Oxford