THE POSITIVE PROFESSOR

CMO of Rutherford Cancer Centres and Former Director of WHO Cancer Programme

SOCIAL media’s voice of calm Karol Sikora has been signed up by the Daily Express. Readers can now enjoy his soothing advice in these troubled times which has won him hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter. If you need reassuring everything’s going to be all right read Professor Positivity.

OUTDOOR hospitality, non-essential shops, hairdressers and many other venues reopened yesterday, which will hopefully make life feel a lot more normal for millions of people across the country.

Some of the pictures are just great to see. Not many people expected snow in mid-April, but, as they say, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.

I’m sure venues were busy, regardless of the weather, and I hope that this is the start of a speedy road to recovery for these businesses.

Please remember though that many places simply have no outdoor space and will have to remain closed for a further five weeks. Consider continuing to support them in the future – even if there is a beer garden open down the road.

So far the lockdown easing has not caused any rise in cases and levels are falling at encouraging numbers. With schools already back for weeks and more outdoor activity permitted, this is good news. Hopefully it will continue.

Millions and millions of people have had a dose of the vaccine which grants them significant protection. Every day hundreds of thousands more are receiving their second injection which furthers that even more. We are looking in a really good position now.

We have to start rebuilding our society and our economy.

This week’s easing of lockdown is an important step towards that.

There is a lot of pent-up demand in this country, but there are also many people who have really struggled.

I intend to get out to support as many local businesses as I can to help them recover. If that means a few extra lunches out then so be it: a super excuse to head down to my local pub.