We all need to take personal responsibility to deal with this

BY the time you read this, the Government will have implemented increased restrictions on a national basis to try and deal with this bloody nightmare we are living with.

A week ago I’d have gone on a rant and said they should’ve listened to Tony Holohan when he came back to work three weeks ago instead of throwing their toys out of the pram like petulant children.

But look, what’s the point? What’s done is done. We moved to level three, it didn’t work, it’s time for further action.

One thing I have learned throughout the last few months is there is absolutely no point in apportioning blame. We are all in this together and if we want to come out the other side, we need to stick together.

We have all probably breached restrictions at one time or another, either deliberately or unwittingly.I’ve definitely stood too close to people on occasion, not quite sure what 2 metres measured. I’ve reused a mask when I couldn’t find another one and I hugged my dad when he was supposed to be cocooning.

Most of us are just doing the best we can. That’s the bottom line. We know what’s right and wrong by now so we need to toe the line.

And for those who don’t– well time to cop on. Stop putting yourself and others at risk – wear your mask and keep your distance.

I keep coming back to personal responsibility because I really believe this is the crux of the matter.

Don’t worry what your neighbour is doing, or what your best friend’s sister is at. You just concentrate on you.

If we all minded our own business, took a little personal responsibility and did what we were told, soon this will be in the past.

I know I’m making it sound simplistic and I fully realise it’s not.

But our role is straight forward enough – do what we’re told, stick to the rules. None of us want to leave loved ones on their own and not be able to visit them.

None of us want to cancel holidays, family gatherings, special occasions or keep our kids home from school. We all just want to get on with our lives and go back to the way things were.

I don’t know if that will ever happen but we have to try. And we have to try without condemning one another for mistakes that have been made.

We need to concentrate on redoubling our efforts to get this virus under control and stop looking for someone to blame.

I can hear my mother’s voice in my head – ‘For once in your life will you do as you’re told!’

For once in my life I will.

I CAN HEAR MY MOTHER’S VOICE IN MY HEAD – ‘FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE WILL YOU DO AS YOU’RE TOLD!’ FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE I WILL