In March there was a country-wide lockdown, because of the sudden increase in Covid-19 cases. A few businesses remained open because they were considered to be essential – those selling food and groceries, or pharmacies.
This time round, in the second country-wide lockdown – because of the Covid-19 second wave, more businesses have been allowed to stay open. WH Smith, as a newsagent, have stayed open, while The Bookstore next door have had to close because they only sell books. That seems a little unfair.
Opticians are open. Hairdressers are closed. All the Charity shops are closed. Timpsons, and Lewis Baker, as hardware shops, are open. Estate Agents and banks are open. Jewellers, clothes shops, and phone shops, and shops selling Christmas gifts and decorations are closed.
As to the evening economy, takeaways are open, but pubs and restaurant and gyms are closed.
Schools and playgrounds have stayed open. Church services and gyms; the library and museum have closed. It has not counted that their hygiene and distancing were excellent.
Although locked down, there were still plenty of people in town today and the roads are as busy as ever.
I know shop workers are still going in for click & collect, key workers are working etc, but this is nothing like the Spring lockdown.
There is no way 4 weeks are going to make any impact on this virus and the impact on the NHS this winter if people do not take this seriously.
For the sake of 4 weeks, schools and colleges should be closed. There are a number of Covid cases in local schools some of which still have 30 pupils to a classroom. The risk to families is huge.
Pubs and restuarants were not responsible for the spread of this virus. All of the places I have been to this past 4 months have abided by the rules (and in some cases make it difficult to purchase drinks etc via apps) and now back under lock and key with employees furloughed or redundant, wasted stocks and bills to pay.
It’s the places with the densest proximity of people where the problems are. Schools being #1.
Our eceonomy cannot survive this unless every single person in this country stops thinking about themselves.
Lockdown should have been during half term with half term extended by a week. A look on social media will see so many not following social distancing and a visit to a supermarket will see staff and customers without masks on. All this exempt from wearing a mask is total rubbish. If you’re too ill to wear a thin paper mask then you shouldn’t be out during a pandemic. These people are all part of the problem.