Test and trace undermined by Cummings

The launch of the test-and-trace system was supposed to be on 1 June, but it was brought forward to 27 May, even though it wasn’t ready (Hancock: it is public’s ‘civic duty’ to follow test-and-trace instructions in England, 27 May). Could this have had anything to do with the government wanting to deflect attention from the Dominic Cummings scandal? Furthermore, the prime minister keeps saying that what people want is to “move on”, which is contradicted by the polls. The only way to move on is to admit that the rules were badly bent if not actually broken by Cummings, by their very architect, apologise, and dispense with his services.
Maggi Carr
Cambridge

• Can anyone in government explain why, following the inability of ministers to deal with Dominic Cummings, I should install their new tracing app? Since members of the government have largely thrown their support behind someone who broke the lockdown rules, I can see no reason why I should now adhere to their requirements with this new app. I already had concerns over the privacy element of the app, but this latest refusal to acknowledge the anger felt by so many people and deal with the matter leaves me no choice but not to participate.
Trevor Toms
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

• An interesting CV for leading the crucial test-and-trace scheme: Dido Harding is “married to [a] Tory MP” and the former chief executive of TalkTalk (The ‘super-driven’ ex-TalkTalk chief behind England’s track-and-trace scheme, 27 May). No need for any public health experience, then? No wonder public health officials in local council services where contact tracers have been working for decades are throwing up their hands in despair.
Ruth Windle
Frome, Somerset

• It seems that test and trace will disproportionally affect the poorer in our society by way of public transport and more congested housing. What measures have been put in place for income if you require multiple 14-day quarantine periods, and how will you stock up on food if 14-day periods run almost back to back? And how will the poorer in society afford that food?
Anita Charlton
Corbridge, Northumberland

• Matt Hancock says it is our civic duty to download the coronavirus test-and-trace app. The quid pro quo for this is simple: Cummings must go.
Sarah Houghton
Wargrave, Berkshire