Why aren't all bus drivers being protected?

Given that London bus workers have died after contracting coronavirus, and a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US found that speech, not just coughing and sneezing, could transmit the disease and that presymptomatic transmission likely accounted for 6%-13% of new cases, I wonder if stating that masks “will probably make little difference” taking the bus, as your science correspondent does, is wise (Can a face mask protect me from coronavirus? Covid-19 myths busted, 7 April).
Ian Sinclair
London

• My husband, Dave Bradley, is a bus driver for Brighton & Hove buses in Brighton. He was on his way to work on Friday to begin his early shift, and attempted to go into Morrisons supermarket on St James Street between 7am and 8am, hours that are reserved for NHS workers. He was refused entry because he is a bus driver.

He was really upset that his job as a key worker was dismissed and that he was asked to leave by the security guard. He just wanted to get a sandwich for his eight-hour shift, and there was no queue.

Brighton & Hove buses has sent more than half its drivers home on 80% pay, but Dave didn’t even apply for this and chose to work during the coronavirus outbreak, putting his, and my, health at risk.

We respect NHS workers, but believe all key workers should be included in the special supermarket opening times. Many NHS staff and patients need to use the bus service to get to their hospital/place of care.
Terry Bryan
University of Sussex

• Two reports juxtaposed tell us all we need to know about us all “being in this together”. One (Colleagues of bus drivers who died of coronavirus call for better protection, 6 April) describes London bus drivers’ lack of protective equipment in spite of the deaths of five colleagues from Covid-19. The other relates that Cummings’ cousin was permitted to visit her dying father, a retired senior judge, wearing full PPE (Retired judge and Cummings’ uncle Sir John Laws dies after contracting Covid-19, 5 April). If PPE could be made available for the daughter of this 74-year-old, why not for at least one member of the family of the 13-year-old boy who died alone in hospital last week?
Mo Fitzgerald
Cambridge

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