Opinion

Boris Johnson's mixed messages a recipe for confusion

While Boris Johnson's government was slow to act against the coronavirus threat and failed to provide the early testing and protective equipment required, it did come up with a clear message once lockdown was introduced.

The stay home, save lives, protect the NHS mantra was well explained and easily understood.

There were initial issues with some of the rules on travel, work and exercise but in broad terms, the public grasped what was expected of them to reduce the spread of this disease, to flatten the spike in the number of cases and thereby prevent the health service from becoming overwhelmed.

In that respect, the message was effective. Hospitals have been able to cope with the surge in patients although it has to be said that the death toll, particularly in England, has been truly horrendous.

With the passing of the peak there has been an expectation that some measures will be eased, with speculation being fed by the British government which has been briefing parts of the London media on what might be lifted.

This point in the crisis is absolutely critical as the virus is still circulating, people are still dying so the watchword must be caution while the message on the next steps has to be crystal clear.

However, when the prime minister delivered his television address on Sunday night, there was an overwhelming sense of vagueness and an absence of the very clarity the public are entitled to expect.

The hours following Mr Johnson's statement were little better, with more questions than answers.

He has been especially criticised for abandoning the stay home message, replacing it with the much less precise 'stay alert' slogan.

As we have seen from other countries which have eased lockdowns only to see a spike in cases, these matters are finely balanced and getting it wrong can have grave consequences.

The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all decided to maintain the stay home message and that would appear to be the safest approach while the infection rate remains higher than we would wish.

We are expecting the Stormont executive to set out its lockdown exit strategy today and we must hope that unlike Mr Johnson's confused efforts, the messaging will be clear and properly thought through.