On our trip out the other day it was interesting to see the change in the pace of life. Suddenly shop car parks are full again. All the outside tables are taken at pubs and cafes. The public buses are busy again. People are gathering in groups again. Masks being worn outside are much more of a rarity. Social distancing…. what social distancing.

Don’t get me wrong I’m as eager as anyone to see things open up again. I won’t say return to normal as that thought annoys me – was the old normal that good and why didn’t we seize the opportunity to build a better normal. Yes our vaccination programme being delivered by the brilliant NHS is going really well. But I’m anxious. Hearing the Government announce that the battle is almost won, just beggars belief. It’s not won until all countries get on top of this dreadful virus. It’s not won when we are still getting deaths each day. Still at 2000 new cases a day. In younger age groups the infections rates are rising. Even after a period of lockdown rates are still stubbornly high. Outbreaks of mutations including the really worrying Indian variant are rising. The vaccines are not 100 effective, we are not sure just how long they will stay effective across the population and the younger groups have not been vaccinated at all. The Young can get severe Covid – I was reading that as many as 12% of children catching the virus are needing to be hospitalised or are suffering from Long Covid. That doesn’t sound like a war won.

But we start the process of relaxing the rules. Foreign holidays allowed soon. Large Crowds returning to sporting and cultural events without social distancing. The requirement to wear masks in schools in communal areas such as corridors is to be removed. Rules surrounding isolation after contact with a positive case to be dropped in favour of fairly regular resting. The message is clear from the top hence I’m not surprised that the majority of people are ditching the masks.

Yes I’m anxious. At the very least masks and social distancing should stay while the reopening goes ahead, until mutations and case numbers fall to really low levels. Until vaccination is a world wide reality. This all feels like a bit of a punt to me. I just hope luck is with us this time.

55 thoughts on “Early”

  4. Very true Gary. Even when we’ve both had our second jabs we will continue to socially distance and wear masks when out. Town today was horrendous………… main conversation topic…… ‘So nice to get away…..’ Welcome visitors (not), groups of ten or more hogging pavements, no masks, supermarket shelves depleted of cereal, bread and fresh food stuffs. I was glad to get home. Keep safe.

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  8. Reading the daily reports out of India is horrifying. Even if we get lucky, I don’t feel celebration is in order. I hope the powers that be learn the lesson and put in place a means of containing future viruses….as they should have this one. A hundred years after the Spanish Flu, this should not have happened. I’m like you,…proceed with caution!

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  10. Gotta tell yer about yesterday, for I actually saw around 30 youngish adults on and around a few benches outside a pub mingling, MING GER-LING and without masks on, where they were hugging, HUG-GING without masks on and boy did my blood boiled, even worse than when I’m in PPE that makes my arms sweat, my hands sweat, my nose all hot and sticky, buy not scratched… and this is me now doing [The Face] that usually makes small children want to run away. What is the point of some doing the best effort and all these others doing Llarreggub!

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  11. Same thing here in the US, people are moving about far more than just two months ago. It is as if we never had a pandemic. Some parts of the state I live in rarely wore masks and now they just will not wear masks. So frustrating. But all the same, so grateful I am vaccinated.

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  12. You are so right. It isn’t over. On the other side of our country a 13 year old died and rates of infection have risen so much that the hospitals are over crowded and the army has been brought in to help out. I see far too many people here without masks too. I won’t be surprised if we end up with the same problems. Until people start taking it seriously instead of wanting things to return to “normal” (sorry, you know what I mean.) then the war will continue.

    England and the world needs more than luck. God be with us. ❤

    This isn’t over. But we do have so much hope.

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  13. We wear our masks in crowds and inside stores and at drive through windows.

    I’ve decided that my mask will protect me and others, even if they don’t care.

    It is still nerve wracking when folks don’t wear masks. we are not close enough to having the required folks vaccinated to reach herd immunity.

    and i’m with you! Our country and yours needs to quit stick piling vaccines and get them to other countries.

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  14. I can relate very well to your thoughts, Gary. I see it the same way. Restaurants (only outside areas) are open again but I am not sure if it is a good idea regarding the still high numbers of infections. The vaccination rates are growing but still, we have not reached the critical mass yet. On the other hand, I understand that economy needs to survive and people need to feel alive again too. So, I don’t want to be one of those deciding when to open or when to close.

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  15. I am generally pleased with California’s response. We still have some restrictions, but as more people are vaccinated (FULLY) things are slowly relaxing. I still see lots of masks, even just on my walks, and they are required (recommended… it’s not law) in stores and crowds. People may be relaxing in private, but public spaces are still masked up.

    California had it really, really bad over the winter. The hospital where my daughter works, literally did not have a single bed available for anyone. Ambulances were parked with patients inside, while patients inside the hospital were stabilized and discharged to make room.

    Yes, stay vigilant. Especially since there’s so long a delay between shots for you guys. My shots were 3 weeks apart. I’m done. I still wear my mask in the store, and have it ready to pull up when I’m out walking.

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  16. Don’t let your guard down. Things have lax here I’m bit worried about that. I still do not eat in restaurants; I do take out. And the mask is on or ready to go on when I go for a walk and encounter others. Common sense peopled need to have. But in doubt with all of this still. Stay safe ❤️

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  18. Like you Gary, l am not confident about all of these variables – l will be keeping my mask and as far as social distancing goes ……….. basically my philosophy is the triple F credo!

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