In that time, it could not be calculated how many men, women and children had succumbed to starvation, poor medical care or the cold as winter drew closer. Hospitals soon ran out of medication and staff shortages meant that the seriously ill patients never stood a chance. The elderly suffered the most, retirement homes could not function with so few staff and so little food. Questioning the wisdom of the government became the main topic of serious comment countrywide as the weak paid the ultimate price for the policy of containment. Great Britain was on its knees, its infrastructure completely derailed. Desperately trying to regain some kind of normality, businesses struggled to resume their daily function without sufficient fuel, stock and labour. Resentment naturally grew and hearts were hardened at what appeared to be the governments unerring will to control every aspect of telecommunications and the media. Over the course of the fortnight, the state run television channel and radio began to air light entertainment shows which were more often than not, repeats although in the face of such hardship, it seemed a token gesture to appease the enraged population.
