Johnson: mask less in Northumberland
Many might think that Johnson visited a hospital in Hexham on Monday simply to avoid appearing in the Commons for the debate on Owen Paterson and Parliamentary standards. Very probably, but he did also promote getting the vaccine and the booster does which was worthwhile.
Just as he shook hands with patients in February 2020 so on this question Johnson appeared in an NHS hospital unmasked. Of course everyone else was wearing one. It echoes the situation in the Commons where despite guidance from the Parliamentary authorities some Tory MPs, notably leader of the House Rees-Mogg continue to appear mask-less.
The hospital later claimed that Johnson wore a mask in clinical settings, but that doesnt help. In that case the release of pictures Johnson unmasked sends the message that it doesnt matter.
The public health advice on this is clear. Wearing a mask protects the wearer and others from Covid and flu and indeed all airborne viruses. Of course the protection is not that great (vaccines are much better at the job) but it’s a matter of social responsibility. These are two words not in the Johnson dictionary because for him, Rees-Mogg and others it’s about personal responsibility or lack of it.
It is a classic debate between individualism and basic collectivism but in this case a potentially somewhat deadly one
Leave a Reply