A few more thoughts on the communication balance facing the government on enforcing Covid rules and the practicalities with which the police do exactly the same.
There were just under 130,000 police officers in England and Wales end of March last year.
The population of England and Wales is about 60 million.
Clearly, there are not enough officers to police whether you or I go to the neighbors for a glass of wine.
And is it a glass of wine or is it a legal and legitimate aid bubble?
Nobody really knows from an enforcement point of view – because what happens inside a private house is private.
Except of course if it’s that loud, the whole street can hear it and the police are called.
These offenses – which most consider scandalous – are easier to detect, for the police and easier to secure the support of the majority for the most difficult policing.
Therefore, these are new measures: difficult new measures that are likely to be supported by the vast majority.
The government keeps the vast majority on the side of this particular measure and they are helping the police with greater powers to deal with the problem.
But how we all act hour, hour, day after day, with potentially minor transgressions here and there, can – cumulatively – be much more important when it comes to transmitting the virus.
But the government and the police only realistically have one instrument there: persuasion; the hope that we will be responsible.
Ministers will also hope that it will no longer make the rest of us feel like cups if we consider the worst rule-breakers.