Around the world, politicians have kept saying throughout the pandemic that they’re following what the scientists tell them closely – whilst also pointing out with a disproportionate amount of glee that they make the final decisions. Except when those decisions turn out to be wrong, of course – then the scientists are to blame.

But as time goes on, I’ve found myself asking more and more questions over exactly why nightclubs are being closed, and for such long periods. There should be evidence out there somewhere which explains why nightclubs are so dangerous in this context, justifying their closure, especially we’re now over a year into the pandemic.

Try as I might, however, I can’t find any despite looking extensively over the past few weeks. Unless a government somewhere has a classified report on the subject, there seems to be literally nothing out there. So why are politicians making the choice to close them?

Right now, it looks to me like it’s because it comes with no electoral cost. Younger people are more likely to attend nightclubs and less likely to vote. Yet as time has gone on, we’ve learnt Covid is typically more dangerous for older people than younger ones. So if that theory is correct, shouldn’t they close bingo halls instead?

I present this question with no evidence, of course. I have no idea whether a bingo hall could become a petri dish for coronavirus – but by the same token, they also seem not to know whether the same would happen in a nightclub. If any studies have been done into this subject, I cannot for the life of me get my hands on them.

Now, this blog is not anti-vax by any means. I’m double jabbed myself – indeed, I have an appointment for a boosted jab next week. And I’m also under no illusion of how bad catching Covid can be – I’ve had members of my own family contract the virus, and a few of my friends have died with it. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable that evidence is presented when making the decision to close nightclubs due to the risks it’s claimed they pose.

If that evidence exists, it’s high time we were shown it. If a scientific study is able to provide strong and difficult to rebuff evidence that nightclubs cause Covid to spread like wildfire, I might just be able to argue for them to stay closed. But if it doesn’t exist, isn’t it time questions were asked as to why?

This absence of facts and data only feeds into the narrative of anti-vaxxers and New World Order cranks…