Snorvey wrote:Also he is strongly predicting that the June 21st relaxation will be delayed.
I'm ok with the current restrictions actually. People are staying away from me, covering their faces and washing their hands and I get to see friends, family for dinner out/pub etc whilst avoiding large gatherings.
Same here. I was expecting to feel OK with the current situation though, based on how I felt after the first lockdown finished on 4th July last year and pubs & restaurants re-opened. I am aware though that I am not a bright young thing any more so going out clubbing is not an activity I miss and nightclubs are still closed. I am also not a pub or restaurant owner and the hospitality industry is saying that, although they are open, many are finding it impossible to turn a profit while the current capacity limitations due to social distancing are in place. I will feel less ok if the current restrictions last long enough to force some of my favoured haunts out of business.
If I were a betting man I would place my bet on the 21st June unlock not going ahead as planned but that is a bit of a cheat because my use of "as planned" is a pretty big caveat. As I understand it the 21 June step is currently intended to be the step when all rules and restrictions are removed and we are back to normal at least within the borders of England, just as if all of this had been a bad dream. With that being the intended degree of unlocking, i.e. total except I think for travel, it becomes relatively easy for the government to essentially go ahead on 21 June but with some minor tweaks that they can then hold up and say "look, we did listen to the scientists and changed our plans in light of the data". Such changes could be as minor as a full unlock except that masks are still required in indoor spaces. Another minor lingering restriction might be to remove social distancing requirements for hospitality, so that they can turn a profit again, but maintain the requirement for table service only (which actually I and almost all of my friends are quite enjoying). The government might yet push back the date, even if only for a week or two, but if it doesn't I would be quite surprised if it doesn't at least curtail slightly the extent of the 21 June unlocking by leaving a few lingering restrictions in place such as those I mentioned.
That's all just guesswork though. This is certainly going to be a fairly tense 13 days as more data comes in. Luckily I find long walks in the sunshine and drinking beer in beer gardens a very effective way of dealing with tense situations so that is my immediate plan of action.
- Julian
