A lockdown is ahead for everyone
For a’ that, an’ a’ that, it’s comin’ yet for aw’ that – that man to man the world oe’r – will have to self- isolate, for aw’ that!
Yes . . . . I apologise immediately to the Bard. And no . . . I am not making light of the most serious public health and safety emergency to hit our country since the last war.
But every week, this page invites me to give an opinion.
And having heard the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Health over the last three days – it’s my opinion that self- isolation for the majority of the UK has moved from the almost incredible . . . to the almost inevitable!
The dramatic escalation of confirmed cases - and sadly mortalities – in Scotland and the UK has made grim reading over the weekend.
But the tipping point for me was Health Secretary Matt Hancock telling TV’s Andrew Marr that the government would this week seek special powers for police to arrest anyone whose behaviour was against the best interests of public health.
There was the usual mealymouthed reaction on social media – with jibes about the “Sneeze Police” or people being locked up for coughing!
But the underlying truth is that Boris Johnson can hardly introduce quarantines, isolation edicts and curfews . . . without the legal authority to enforce them.
And after his Emergency Powers ( Coronavirus) Bill slips through Parliament this week . . . he’ll have all the clout he needs!
This time last week, my hunch was that the Government would delay school closures until the Easter holidays.
It made sense given that most families and households would already be geared up for children being at home.
The Easter school pause could easily be extended . . . and parents and employers would have a few weeks’ notice to make plans for the modified break.
But Boris Johnson’s frank “losing loved ones before their time” announcement was the start of a game- changing weekend.
As nation followed nation in introducing lock- down laws – and TV screens showed deserted streets in Milan and Madrid – the UK started drifting to being out of step . . . or even two steps behind.
When Matt Hancock spoke of “unparalleled and unpalatable decisions ahead” – he knows exactly what’s coming.
Boris is going to have to budge on everything from schools to shops, cafes and restaurants . . . with a European- style lock- down.
It’s already happened across the pond. Two weeks ago, Donald Trump was talking down coronavirus as some kind of “Fake Flu”. Yes, this is the man who abandoned Barrack Obama’s “Pandemic Response Team” and slashed the orders on virus testing kits.
Then somebody must have whispered in his ear “Hey Donald, people are dying, the economy’s going through the floor – and it’s an election year!”
All of a sudden, the whole of Europe was shut off - and large swathes of America were shut down! Sadly, it all adds up to the UK heading into statutory isolation as well. Before you start packing up the pasta and brawling in the bog roll aisle – don’t bother. And don’t panic.
The Italian/ Spanish model is shops still opening and essential businesses still operating.
There are no food shortages in Europe. I’m guessing on a robust lock- down law – for at least two weeks – that roughly states “if you don’t have to be out . . . then stay in.”
With our newly empowered policemen ready to ask why you’re not at home. I spoke to an Italian/ Scot at the weekend who told me that, in Milan, food shops and pharmacies were open from 10- 5pm – limited customers at a time – and that public transport was available to get essential employees to and from their workplace.
“It’s uncomfortable – but people are just getting on with it” he added.
When I asked him about pubs – he said some bars were open . . . but allowed to serve just two people at a time!
Oh dear.
I’m going to have to change the Twa Dugs . . . to the Twa Customers!
Losing loved ones before their time announcement was the game- changing weekend