Sir, – Jonathan Swift once defined a tavern as a place where madness is sold by the bottle.
In the current climate, why is there no mention of the fact that alcohol is one of the major driving forces behind the spread of Covid-19? The disgraceful student house parties and raves in Galway, Cork, and elsewhere, some of which I have seen at first hand, are almost totally centred on alcohol, as are many family gatherings.
And in a ‘wet pub’ scenario, how can semi-inebriated drinkers be sufficiently aware of their surroundings to observe social distancing and hygiene requirements?
Masks are out of the question when one is drinking alcohol.
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What we need is a one-year prohibition on alcohol in our society, including the closing of off-licences.
As well as helping in the fight against the virus, a total prohibition of alcohol would also improve the physical and mental health of the nation, reduce alcoholism and domestic violence, decrease fatalities on our roads, reduce prenatal mortality and birth defects, and bring about a decrease in street violence and hooliganism.
What are we waiting for? – Yours, etc,
DES MacHALE,
Blackrock,
Cork.