Two news items in the Netherlands caught my eye today. The first was a demonstration in Amsterdam by those who run nightclubs and discotheques. At the moment they are really the only sector in the hospitality branch that has not been given leave to open its doors again since the beginning of the lockdown. One quote had me almost literally ‘rolling on the floor laughing’: they are worried that the ‘night culture’ will disappear.

How one can take an argument like that seriously is beyond me. It may well be that some, or even many, establishments will not survive their prolonged closure. Others will take their place when times change. I doubt very much if people will turn round next year and say to themselves “I don’t have the need to go clubbing anymore.” I personally wouldn’t mind if that sector ended up shrinking as a result of the pandemic, but that won’t happen.

What bothers me more is the example of a branch saying “we have a right to exist”, and if they are forced by the measures necessary to stem the pandemic to suspend or cease trading, they should be reminded of the laws of supply and demand. If there is no demand for their product, then their business plan has been rendered null and void.

The other news item was the call by a very conservative Christian political party for the government to publish a timetable for the relaxation of measures irrespective of whether there is a vaccine or not. They are particularly sore about the measures reducing church attendance which of course can be looked at in two ways. Christians that want to gather together are restricted still, and low church attendance means less income.

In my small church, the maximum number of people allowed to attend is around equal to the number of active members of the congregation. The biggest restriction is that congregational singing is not allowed, and as an organist myself, I regret this as much as anyone. However, the ‘right’ to sing in church does not justify the relaxation of measures to the point where church services become an unsafe place to be. Singing in a group greatly increases the chance of airborne infection. We ignore conventional wisdom and current medical advice at our peril.

Several reported group infections in various countries have been related to church gatherings. It is incredible that a Christian political party is trying to make national headlines by championing unsafe behaviour. That applies also to the nightclub brigade. The dangers of clubbers getting too close to each other and spreading corona are just too great.

I want to keep myself safe. Realistically that personal restraint will have to last until I can be vaccinated with an approved vaccine. As I write this, I am on holiday in Berlin. The culture here for wearing face masks is far stronger, and I have had no difficulty in complying. Some people, it’s true, are a little lax when it comes to social distancing, but I have not felt unsafe here at all. The weather has been kind enough to allow eating outside almost all the time – that undoubtedly helps.

When I get back home tomorrow, I shall resume my restrained attitude to things. I do not go to parties, or go out to pubs. I have not eaten out since the measures kicked in 6 months ago. I do my food shopping at quiet times of the day and keep my distance from others as best I can.

I hope that the government will not yield to populist pressure to relax all the rules prematurely. If they did, that dreaded ‘second wave’ will not be long in coming! If they did, I would have to protect myself even more vigorously than I do now. The Church will survive. ‘Night culture’ will survive. Traditions such as Carnaval will survive. Berlin is a tremendous city. It forces you to reflect on the history of the last century. The two world wars interrupted normal everyday life to a greater extent and for a longer period than this pandemic. Entrepreneurs had to be creative then, and must be so again now. Some entrepreneurs made a lot of money collaborating with the ‘enemy’ or working a black market. Some now are trying to do the same. It will all come out in the wash, as the old saying goes. I still believe in moral backbone, and in comeuppance for those who try and cut corners.

I like many things about the Netherlands, but moral backbone is not one of the country’s greatest claims to fame. I believe in capitalism as opposed to communism, but I do mean capitalism with a friendly face, not exploitation.

The pandemic is not going to suddenly disappear by default. Many still risk serious illness and life-threatening conditions until this corona virus is brought under control. Society should be allowed to function as safely as it can, but allowing nightclubs free rein in the light of the current knowledge about the transmission of corona, or exempting churches when it has been shown that church gatherings are high risk, that goes too far.

The next ‘deliverable’ is probably still at least 6 months away – I refer to a vaccination. In other words, we are only half way through this period, and the autumn and winter seasons are still ahead of us! Do the math!!