Flatter curve because of measures

Adam Creighton is right to condemn extreme predictions based on limited data (“Total shutdown may be too high a price”, 7/4). Hippocrates taught us that in medical practice “experience” as well as “reason” must apply. Theories are important but experience decides the matter.

Rather than fretting about the lack of “cost and benefit” studies from the Prime Minister’s office, it would seem more sensible to look at the experience of New York, outlined on Tuesday in graphic detail by Cameron Stewart (“America faces new ‘Pearl Harbor’, 9/11”), the already 400-plus dead in “relaxed” Sweden, the not-so-old Boris Johnson in intensive care, the experience of Italy, Spain and France, and the reappearance of cases in Singapore.

Australia has the advantage of being behind most of the world in the onset of the outbreak and we can learn from the experience of others.

We can be fluid as events unfold. The fact that we seem to be doing well now is not evidence that we are doing the wrong thing.

If the virus gets out of the bottle, experience tells us the “trade-offs” will not just be the old, but the young and, in particular, ICU nurses and doctors.

Padraic Grattan-Smith, Matraville, NSW

Adam Creighton maintains his trenchant opposition to the Government’s COVID-19 arrangements, although with a nod of recognition (“All lives obviously matter”, promptly undermined by the following “but ... ”).

His penultimate paragraph, however, undermines his entire argument. He opines that “it would be better to urgently boost the capacity of the health system” and revert to normality with safeguards for at-risk groups. That, however, is the nub of the problem confronting government — it can’t be done.

Twiggy Forrest (“Minderoo in cutthroat fight for supplies against ‘suitcases of cash’”, 7/4) demonstrates some of the difficulties encountered — and that’s supplies, not personnel and infrastructure.

Leni Palk, Unley, SA

We're too spoilt for this

The public’s reaction to responses by the three levels of government to the pandemic seems to range from “strongly approve” to the direct opposite. By now, virtually every Australian has been hurt or inconvenienced in some way.

Most fair-minded people will accept all this, but only for so long. Ours is a relatively spoilt society, an entirely different population from those of our parents and grandparents. Collectively, we have far less patience and our gratification needs have become much more immediate. Uncertainty, discomfort and irritation, if continued, can be expected to change to anger, frustration and the desire to punish and blame. And especially so if financial factors are involved.

And history tells us — especially Wintson Churchill’s unexpected defeat by worn-down voters following victory towards the end of World War II — that those responsible for hurtful but necessary measures will pay a heavy political price.

There will be no forgive and forget. In Queensland this is especially relevant with the next state election only six or so months away.

Keith O’Dempsey, Clontarf, Qld

Lessons of war

I read with interest John Winter’s letter on Tuesday. I was in the British Army in July 1945 when Winston Churchill was “booted out of office”.

The strong talk among servicemen at that time was that they didn’t want to be treated in the same appalling fashion that befell the ex-servicemen from World War I.

They saw the Labour Party as their best chance of no repetition, and Clement Attlee romped home.

Churchill got back in 1951. Our Prime Minister has nothing to fear.

Tony Gwynn-Jones, Clare, SA