Coronavirus: Public health matters more than Leeds United and football season

From: Bob Watson, Baildon.
Leeds United players Liam Cooper and Patrick Bamford - will the 2019-20 football season be resumed?Leeds United players Liam Cooper and Patrick Bamford - will the 2019-20 football season be resumed?
Leeds United players Liam Cooper and Patrick Bamford - will the 2019-20 football season be resumed?
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Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear: Football wants to finish the season ...

LEEDS United chief executive Angus Kinnear stated that the English domestic football league campaign should be completed, citing “the integrity of the competition” as his chief concern. Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he (The Yorkshire Post, March 19).

Then we have Mishcon de Reya lawyer Simon Leaf indicating that his company would be happy to support a legal challenge if the Premier League and English Football League campaigns were declared null and void. How pathetic.

Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear.Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear.
Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear.
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It seems highly likely that football may not be able to re-start until the end of August in these dreadful times for the whole world. If this proves to be the case then, whatever the misfortunes of the clubs badly affected, the 2019/20 season will surely have to be aborted – as was the 1939/40 season at the outbreak of the Second World War, albeit at a different stage.

Yes, there would be some winners and losers in all this, but the greater good is far more important than football. If it proves impossible, without risk to individuals to re-start the present season then so be it.

Just bite the bullet, be sorry for any misfortune or good luck, and get on with a fresh start (hopefully) for the 2020/21 season.

From: David Pearson, Harrogate.

Boris Johnson is leading the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic.Boris Johnson is leading the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Boris Johnson is leading the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

IT seems to me that we all need to be a part of a community effort to support the most vulnerable. I personally have been very touched by the offers to help at this time by good friends and neighbours.

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I am of the age of which the Government feels is of particular risk. A friend of mine has approached all those in her street to co-ordinate help for those that may need support.

If we all come together in a spirit of caring, we can all do so much to help us all through an extremely difficult situation.

Let’s help those that need our care and follow the advice to keep ourselves safe. We really can make a difference. Panic buying is an ill-conceived response to our current situation.

From: Jane Saunders, Northallerton.

HOW unbelievably selfish is Christine McDade (The Yorkhsire Post, March 17) who berates Chancellor Rishi Sunak for not boosting further her triple-locked pension in the Budget.

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At times like this, we can do without this kind of nonsense. They will be many people looking very enviously at people like myself and Mrs McDade with our guaranteed retirement incomes.

There is widespread consensus, both in the Richmond constituency and nationwide, that Mr Sunak has acquitted himself remarkably well, both in the Budget and the further announcements made last week. I think he can probably live without Mrs McDade’s endorsement.

From: Canon Michael Storey, Healey Wood Road, Brighouse.

GRAEME Bandeira’s cartoon ‘Be Kind’ and Jayne Dowle’s excellent accompanying article (The Yorkshire Post, March 19) raise an interesting question. Reports from Italy indicate that there is no panic buying there, unlike in the UK. Is this because the Christian ethic of “self last” is better kept in Italy than in the UK where Christian ethics are fast being abandoned?

From: M Dobson, York.

I SEE from the Tesco advert (The Yorkshire Post, March 13) that they are reserving 9-10am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for older customers during the current coronavirus epidemic.

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Having visited my local Tesco Extra at 9am last Wednesday, I found that most of the shelves were empty. I was told by an assistant that they had restocked overnight but that people had been queuing at 6am when they opened and they had cleared them out. If this is typical, and Tesco is still going to open at 6am on the days set aside for older people, there will not be much left for them to buy by 9am.

From: John Rayner, North Ferriby.

THE excellent Bandeira cartoon should be copied in multiple to supermarkets to be mounted on every shopping trolley.

After recent panic clearance of shelves, not just of long-life items, will next week’s household food waste bins be full of over-bought and unused fruit and veg?

From: Allen Jenkinson, Lipscomb Street, Milnsbridge.

THE Government’s main concern over the Covid-19 outbreak is what is left of the NHS after 
the creeping privatisation of hospital services, to the point of selling off complete hospitals to private medical contractors or 
to property developers for housing.

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It has reached the point that it cannot cope, and if the proposed sale of Huddersfield’s one remaining NHS hospital goes ahead before the next general election, my advice to our local Tory MPs seeking re-election is not to turn up.

From: Peter Rickaby, Selby.

WITHIN the coronavirus crisis exists a silver lining – the Eurovision Song Contest has had to be cancelled. Yippee!

From W. Walker, Malton.

A CRISIS always brings out the best and the worst in people, but what hope is there for a nation that is obsessed with toilet rolls?

From: Nina Smith, Hebden Bridge.

IT is clear from going to Hebden Bridge town centre that many people have not got the message about social distancing. It’s probably the same everywhere, judging by television news footage.

The Government must up the ‘anti’ on this without further delay. I suggest a major nationwide campaign with the slogan ‘Keep Your Distance’.