Editor

Christmas is primarily a time for giving gifts and love to others.

This Christmas there is a real challenge to us all: to prioritise the needs of others over ourselves, and especially to consider how we can minimise risks of social contact to stop Covid transmission in our communities. Itis a time to remember those who cannot celebrate with others, have lost loved ones, and are lonely, but maybe to experience some restraint ourselves and see what it is like to be ‘home alone’.

But there are other ways, apart from physically, that we can be with people in this modern world, and we all need to turn to these as much as possible this year to spread our love to those who might be ‘left out’.

Can I also point out that I would have every sympathy with care workers struggling to juggle work and childcare, but perhaps a care worker should stay away from work if they have a young child at nursery or school. Nurseries and schools are high-risk for spread of asymptomatic infections with Covid, which would pose a lethal risk to the care-workers’ clients.People in such situations need to be furloughed or have financial support from government directly to allow them to stay home or use in-household childminding.

This support is available, and should be obtained through the employer - or a union rep should be consulted for assistance.

Happy different Christmas to everyone.

David Church Tywyn

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