Yuletide update
It's Christmas 2021 already and somehow it feels like we've been in a constant year since COVID began.
Whilst many are grateful to spend the festive period with friends and family, the restrictions taken by the devolved nations indicate an impending announcement from PM Boris Johnson. Omicron has been a bit of a nuisance since its arrival and has spread much quicker than previously anticipated. However, data suggests it is a milder variant and risk of hospitalisation is reduced in comparsion to the Delta variant.
All this aside, further restrictions to our freedom represent a backward action; sliding back into a lockdown is particularly reminiscent of this time last year. However, this time, we have vaccinations, with record numbers of adults having received booster jabs after the PM emphasised the importance of the booster campaign. We also have the means of testing; lateral flow kits and PCRs which help to identify individuals with the infection. Lateral flow testing is perhaps not as accurate, but still exists as a way of being safe and taking precautions before attending gatherings.
All this means that we can't really have a lockdown, if we're in a much better position than last year and face a milder threat. If cases are so high, then the government will have no choice but to close restaurants, nightclubs and shops. Enforcing a lockdown would be too much, based on how much progress we have made. In addition, the effect on the economy could be disastrous, as shown in the previous lockdowns.
And we haven't even begun to discuss the mental health aspect: it's no secret that the pandemic has had a profound effect on the mental health of not just young people but people of all ages. Many people have said that another lockdown would be too much to cope with.
I think we should take this period to enjoy ourselves, as it seems some freedoms will be limited from January. We know COVID won't be disappearing anytime soon in contrast to the naive versions of us in 2020. We have to learn how to live with this virus, and that means following the rules of mask-wearing and getting our boosters to protect ourselves and those around us.
Comments