That female-led countries dealt with Covid-19 better should come as no surprise (Report, 18 August), especially in relation to our male-heavy government. Women usually have more caring responsibilities than men and have to juggle a range of issues at any one time, leading to decisive action. The fact that the women leaders in this research locked down more quickly than our dithering prime minister and his macho government saved many lives. The decision by Boris Johnson to reopen barbers before nail bars, pubs before nurseries and cricket clubs before schools says much about his priorities. His “woman problem” extends far and wide.
June Purvis
Portsmouth
• I wonder why Mia Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados, is not named among the women leaders who have managed Covid-19 well. Barbados may be a small country, but in normal times there are many tourists, and it has far fewer resources than bigger countries.
Taking early action was key – the first tests were carried out on 11 February, several weeks before the first case was identified. The plan for staged future action was detailed by Mottley in mid-February, and separate facilities were identified and upgraded so that hospitals and clinics could continue to care for patients with other conditions.
Testing, tracing and isolating were implemented from the time of the first cases, and there have been just 158 cases and seven deaths. The figures and action taken seem to speak for themselves and should be more widely acknowledged.
Judy Stober
Bruton, Somerset
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