In response to the country’s coronavirus outbreak China began constructing the new 1,000-bed Wuhan Huoshenshan hospital in late January with the aim of opening by 5 February (Report, 29 January). Will Boris Johnson use the same rapid response to realise his election promise to build 40 new hospitals in the UK?
Sam White
Lewes, East Sussex
• My computer keeps throwing advertisements for “The last wallet you will ever need” at me. I don’t know if this refers to its (or my own) potential lifespan, or is a terrible prediction regarding the consequences of Brexit.
Jeremy Muldowney
York
• When teaching in north London in the late 1960s, one day I was approached by a colleague, a recently appointed English teacher from New York. He had just broken up a fight, and when he asked the reason for it was told that one of the boys had been called “a tosser”. My colleague responded by saying “if there’s any tossing going on here, it’s going to be by me”. He wanted to know why the whole class fell about laughing.
John Kemp
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
• My 82-year-old husband is also making marmalade this week (Letters, passim). Can we start an octogenarian Guardian readers marmalade-making club? Sharing tips would be useful.
Anne Titley
Kington, Herefordshire
• I don’t like marmalade. How should I occupy myself in my declining years?
Anne Cowper
Llandeilo Ferwallt, Gower
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