coronavirus
Letters
A glimmer of hope Sir: After the debacle of the West’s shambolic withdrawal from Afghanistan, it was comforting to read…
Doctor who?
Nye Bevan famously said that he was only able to persuade family doctors to support the creation of the NHS…
The Tories aren’t in party mood
Nearly two years on from the general election and 11 years since the Tories took office, they remain comfortably and…
On child vaccination, parents should have the choice
On Saturday, the Health Secretary made his most bullish comments on child vaccination so far. Writing in the Times, Sajid Javid argued that…
New Zealand’s zero Covid strategy is becoming unsustainable
New Zealand has done remarkably well over the past 18 months at protecting its citizens from the worst of the…
China’s zero Covid strategy is being undermined by mahjong
Mao Zedong once said that the game of mahjong should not be underestimated, because: ‘If you know how to play…
How are the vaccines affected by the Delta variant?
Has the emergence of the Delta, or Indian, variant reduced the effectiveness of Covid vaccines and if so by how…
How China tried to suppress the lab leak investigation
The lead figure in the World Health Organisation’s work on the origins of Covid-19 has givena remarkable interview to Danish…
The Spectator’s Notes
The tale of A-levels shows how ministers can sometimes find themselves in a position when it is simply too dangerous…
Why vaccine passports are pointless
Despite having mocked app-happy Albion in my last column, I finally downloaded the NHS app. (Lest I seem a raging…
Travel sick
The great holiday Covid test rip-off
Portrait of the Week
Home With less frightening domestic data on the coronavirus pandemic to ponder, subjects such as the rivalry between Boris Johnson,…
Liberté, égalité, vacciné
France’s revolt against Covid passports is just beginning
When will exams get back to normal?
It wouldn’t be credible to say that this year’s A-Levels grades are comparable with 2019’s: almost 45 per cent of entries…
Why China’s vaccine diplomacy is running into difficulties
Tear gas and rubber bullets hold off the protestors marching to Government House in Bangkok. They’re looking for Prime Minister…
The problems posed by booster shots
It is already known that there will be a campaign of booster shots in the UK this autumn to boost…
Will Covid turn into the common cold?
Many experts and modellers thought that the 19 July reopening would be a disaster. So far, that has not been…
Have we herd?
Covid is meeting a wall of immunity
Looking for enchantment
Most social occasions now seem to kick off with a wasted hour or two. The time is spent discussing Covid:…
Are booster shots necessary?
Will Britain become the first country in the world to have a large section of its population immunised against Covid-19…
Is the government bluffing on vaccine passports?
Over the past week, the government have been upping the ante when it comes to calls for vaccine passports. Long…
All the rage
Why have we become so quick to anger?
Portrait of the week
Home The daily number of coronavirus cases detected by tests fell from 54,674 on 17 July to 23,511 by 27…
The new insularity
There is something bizarre about a sporting event designed to bring people and nations together but from which spectators have…
The vaccination campaign is making the same mistakes as Remain
One of the great cautionary tales of the last five years is how political campaigns can start off with what…
