Sir, – Is it not time for Prime Minster Boris Johnson to stop spending his time grandstanding during various photo opportunities and start governing the country?
Yesterday Johnson was seen “assisting” the police on a drugs raid, how could his attendance possibly assist the police – except get in the way?
In the meantime he dithered, yet again, for no less than five days to bring in travel restrictions from Africa to protect the UK population from the new Omicron Covid variant.
His government’s lack of planning left two British citizens returning into Heathrow from a holiday in South Africa stranded on an airport bus for more than eight hours because the quarantine hotel they were assigned to was not ready or able to accept travellers. This is shameful and incompetent Covid planning.
Michael Rasmussen, Low Road, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.
Constable Johnson beyond credibility
Sir, – Boris Johnson has been in his dressing-up box again, for yet another photo opportunity.
He has been impersonating a politician for years now – but impersonating a police officer is really stretching credibility too far.
Rob Merson, St Mary’s Drive, Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
Sturgeon gets her priorities wrong
Sir, – I am a pensioner who lives in Ballater.
During Storm Arwen I like many others had to endure three very cold days and nights without any form of heat or light in my home.
Thankfully, electricity was restored to our village on Monday November 29.
I switched on the TV news and was confronted by the sight of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon spouting on about a renewed drive for Scottish independence.
Now, at that time there were many thousands of people in our county who had not had electricity restored and I guess in some cases were potentially in life-threatening conditions.
I am appalled that our leaders have such skewed priorities and so little respect for our people.
Robert Leighton, Craigview Place, Ballater, Aberdeenshire.
Ignorance over vaccine’s efficacy
Sir, – It’s disappointing to see James Millar following the likes of President Macron and others in talking down the efficacy of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
Like Mr Millar I am not a scientist but I can appreciate that here in the UK we have had a return to almost normality in recent months thanks to most people having had a double jab of this vaccine.
In countries like Austria and Germany where the mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer have been used, there is an alarming increase in Covid cases.
Some speculate the Oxford AZ vaccine may be giving better immunity thanks to T cells giving protection after the antibody levels have started to decline.
The Oxford vaccine has been used in 180 countries and is thought to have saved one million lives.
A recent study reported in medical journal The Lancet showed that the Moderna and Pfizer products may have a slight advantage as boosters, hence the UK Government’s decision to order them for this purpose.
The Oxford vaccine was developed by Professor Sarah Gilbert and her team who insisted that it should be provided to low income countries at cost of production making it a vaccine for people, not Big Pharma profit.
For Mr Millar to portray this as passing off second-rate products to poor countries in some kind of “colonialism” is just ignorant and wrong.
Keith Shortreed, Cottown of Gight, Methlick, Aberdeenshire.