I think I can answer Peter Walker’s query (Feb 3) about his offer of a vaccination in distant places.

My wife and I, living within walking distance of the Atrium Centre in Dorchester, have also just received an offer, the nearest being in Yeovil, with options including Bristol and Exeter.

Mr Johnson has undertaken that everyone in the first group will be “offered” a vaccination by February 15.

We have indeed been “offered” one, so the promise is kept, however logistically foolish or for some impossible. It is a well-honed, even routine technique.

Readers might recollect a report in the Echo on January 20 in which Dido Harding, head of the Test and Trace service, was quoted saying, in response to a challenging question from a parliamentary committee, “We are reaching more than 80% of people who test positive.

"So, no, we are having a material impact on the fight against Covid.”

This sounds like a positive success.

In fact, of course, the 80% minimum (not target) figure is for CONTACTS (within 48 hours of a positive test).

The necessity is to reach 100% of people “who test positive”within 24 hours of the test, to tell them to isolate.

The apparent success is in fact an admission of continuing huge failure, with up to 20% of infected people roaming freely, and their further contacts left completely in the dark.

Macbeth says that the witches’ word “lies like truth”.

We should subject all government claims to similar scrutiny.

BARRY TEMPEST

Dorchester