Quarantine has now become draconian

I do not see that he had made any considered response at all.

Why did we bring in the seven-day reduced period (with testing and passive surveillance in the second seven-day period), and abandon it before we even knew if it had been successful? If the response is lack of resources, that is not a good enough response, not when balanced against people’s freedom of movement and human rights. Furthermore, the resources currently being spent on policing those in quarantine over 14 days, rather than seven days, would be halved.

There is capacity for 400 tests per day. Why not limit the scheme to this number and let those with loved ones off-island/those who are ill (physically or mentally)/those with business needs or for whatever personal choices they may have, use up to those 400 tests daily?

If there is a lack of resources, which I actually doubt bearing in mind the resources we are currently wasting, then ask those who want to be one of the 400 tests per day to enable travel off-island and reduced quarantine in return to pay to fund these tests themselves.

There ends the lack of resource problem.

I do hope the real reason is nothing to do with the air corridor bridges currently being entered into. After all, these air bridges are realistically more designed to give people a holiday off-island (Isle of Man/Iceland?) than for family or health reasons. Which is more important?

And let’s not forget the new rules for businessmen – brought in to accommodate those whose meetings absolutely must be done in person (?) ‘Without putting the health of our community at significant risk’.

So anything less than significant risk is OK then?

Personally, I reckon businessmen flying in for a day are more of a risk than those visiting family in the UK for a week or so. They will no doubt be travelling around from one important meeting to another – and there is little or no control over them.

We have very close links with the UK. Many people living in Guernsey have come from the UK and brought with them a wealth of experience and money that the locals might otherwise not have had. To do so, they have left behind family and friends.

I personally hate discrimination of any kind. To those that argue, ‘Go then and don’t come back’ – that would sound the death knell for Guernsey generally and our finance industry. How about we are all equally valued and considered and not just those living in an isolated bubble with all their family and friends living in the same bubble?

So who thinks the borders will actually open on 1 September? All we have at present is a mere ‘hope’. Interestingly, it is hard to get a booking on Condor as everyone is scrambling to grab the opportunity to leave from 1 September. Surely this is indicative of what we, the people, want? Why not use our money wisely? Increase testing capabilities – use our resources for the benefit of everyone. Take some steps to breathe life and a hope for the future back into our people.

Are our elected politicians even being consulted? I hope it is not the decision of just one politician. After all, the politicians have been voted in to represent the people and not to dominate them.

There is more to this than protecting against deaths from Covid-19. We cannot do this blindly at the expense of everything else. Where is the balance?

This quarantine has now become draconian, with an extremely high fine of up to £10,000 if anyone breaches the quarantine, and with no end in sight.

If someone takes this to the court of human rights, that could well be financial suicide for Guernsey.

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHHELD.