Restrictions: can they be lifted?

Last week I talked about our emergency and this week it's been in the news so I'll talk a bit about it.

Sometimes it strikes me we've been going through a kind of update anxiety with this Coronavirus emergency like this week there was much speculation concerning what the four weekly review of the regulations would bring.

It's not that many of us wouldn't want an end to this thing - believe you me I do-  but there does seem to be a rush across the world to lift all the regulations and it was said on Wednesday that ours would stay in place for the next three weeks or so.

It's worth reminding ourselves as to why we have them as that underscores when they can go.

Take shops and other recreational places for instance, the concern was as we all go in, mingling with others we'd spread the virus to ourselves and staff so only the most Essential shops and that were allowed to open such as food stores and chemists.

It may be possible to reopen a few but in order for that at happen social distancing -maintaining a two metre gaps between you and others - needs to be possible so layouts would need to change and maybe a restricted entry so stores would not be packed.

This might work for  garden centres if they shut down cafes, places that serve food if the tables were wider apart with drinks being ordered at tables not by a bar for instance which potentially allows gastropubs to open for food.

Where this wouldn't work is barbers and hairdressers where people are closer and staff are very close to customers and pubs because we line up at bars next to each other being served face to face.

Transport was restricted because if we travel beyond our local areas, we do risk transmitting the virus in areas where it be less prevalent, places we visit encourage people to be very close to each other and public transportation with people sat next to each other in large numbers spreads it too.

Also bear in mind because of infection, there would be less drivers so journeys would need to be limited only to those who needed them like Key Workers and not tourists and sightseers.

That's one reason I personally feel it may take a while before that restriction is removed and testing measures are in place so we can better weed out those who have COVID-19 from those who might have a lesser infection, enabling more to return to work.

The two metre restriction may well stay a good while as it that of not being in the same space as people not in your household so gatherings of friends may well be off until Summer's End.

Large scale events are likely to remain restricted particularly if they are international in nature and that would apply to international travel until we have effective vaccines to minimize the risk of a second or third wave of infection.

That's why I wouldn't  get your hopes up for a quick ending of all the restrictions because they're necessary for now.