• MUCH as I loathe the regime in China, I find the media gloating over the collapse of its zero-Covid policy hypocritical.

China has had far far fewer reported deaths and infections per capita than here in the UK.

However China may well now have many more infections and deaths as it relaxes that policy because its vaccine is only about 60 per cent effective and vaccine uptake among the vulnerable has been poor.

The way to deal with Covid-19, as most expert scientists agree, is to go hard at first (as advocated by the Zero-Covid organisation here), implement an effective vaccination programme and then relax the zero-Covid restrictions.

We were slow off the mark so that thousands died unnecessarily.

Only a few countries such as New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan got it right. We are in no position to criticise China’s efforts, even if we deplore its heavy-handed methods.

NIGEL ARMISTEAD
Ospringe Road, NW5