Politically speaking: Yvette Cooper MP says 'we must take action to prevent a second peak'

As we’ve come through the first peak of the coronavirus crisis, this is still a very uncertain time for our towns.

Over the past few months we’ve seen incredible examples of people coming together at a tough time – clapping our NHS, care workers and key workers for their heroic work, volunteers and neighbours helping each other, and those wonderful NHS superhero paintings by Rachel List all over Pontefract.

But it has also been really hard – especially for those who have lost loved ones and for others who have struggled alone, lost their jobs or businesses or final term at school.

Across the country tens of thousands of people have died – far more than in many other countries.

That is why it is so important that the government puts in place proper measures to prevent a second peak.

After the difficult times everyone has gone through, they must make sure the virus does not spread and get out of control again.

For example, that means we need a full testing and tracing system to catch any new local outbreak.

We haven’t got that yet. Tests are still taking too long.

Wakefield and West Yorkshire health officials don’t even get told all the results.

So how can they possibly monitor local infections or take action to prevent them spreading?

Countries like South Korea and Germany which invested in mass testing and tracing from the beginning have seen far fewer deaths.

The government was too slow on testing at the beginning of this crisis, so we must not have delays in the next phase too.

We also still need stronger action to prevent coronavirus spreading between hospitals and care homes.

For many weeks I’ve called for action to stop patients who test positive for Covid-19 being sent back to care homes and to make sure they have intermediate care places where they can be quarantined and recover instead.

Wakefield health officials have promised me that will now happen. But we need it fast.

Most important of all, we need the government to show they are putting the national interest first not their own party politics.

When Downing Street advisor Dominic Cummings and his family travelled across the country while infectious with coronavirus, they put other people at risk.

Yet the Prime Minister didn’t even think he needed to apologise.

Ministers have been changing their health advice to protect Dominic Cummings rather than to protect the public.

That is completely irresponsible.

They need to make sure they are not rushing things too fast or ignoring scientific warnings.

Things won’t be back to normal for some time. Families, jobs and businesses all still need support and our local community hubs of volunteers will keep going.

But most of all, we need to keep supporting each other just as our communities have always done.