Editor

In response to Cllr Strong’s letter in the Cambrian News (8 October), I agree with his comments that the needs of society should prevail over the needs of the individual.

For the past 50-plus years (apart from the last few) I have witnessed a year-on-year growth in longevity. This has come about through research, advances in medicine and an improvement in living conditions generally.

All of this has had financial implications. The NHS and its staff do not work for nothing. Research and advances in medicine as well as living standards all cost money. This has been enabled through innovation, entrepreneurship, and some risk-taking to achieve economic growth.

The pandemic has demonstrated that making the correct decision is difficult, almost impossible. Current policy appears to rely on the creation of a successful vaccine. The question is, what if one doesn’t become available or the ones that do are ineffective at protecting certain groups within our society? Do we still continue to lock down vast areas of our society, and for many bring about economic ruin?

I am not advocating changing policy or making policy U-turns on a whim. I propose that we need to debate difficult economic, political, moral, social and ethical perspectives of how we should live with the virus for years to come. For example, I find it amazing that many areas of Wales still value the importance of their leisure facilities and we don’t. They are still able to offer heart rehabilitation programmes and long Covid rehabilitation programmes to those who wish to partake, in person, as well as trying to address the pandemic of childhood obesity we have in Wales. Yet Ceredigion’s leisure facilities remain closed, as do open-air play parks in the county.

Yes, our Covid numbers have been low in the county and the county as a whole, together with those visiting, need to be congratulated. However, my fear is that if we only focus on Covid and do not look at wider considerations our children today will be denied the luxury of making it to 85.

Hugh Hughes Cae Nant Borth

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