The message remains the same, have fun but be cautious

It’s great to see Portsmouth folk out and about in the bank holiday sunshine. The organisers of the annual May Community Fayre at St Mary’s Church in Fratton must be breathing a huge sign of relief now that things are relatively back to normal.

Covid-19, lockdowns, social distancing, dire warnings from government officials — all that seems to be behind us now.

Two years of cancellations have almost certainly spurred on families into making the most of events such as this, and this is echoed across the region as people flock to the Southsea coast to make the most of the sunny weather — who can blame them after enduring such an extended period of Covid misery?

But for all that, Covid has not gone away.

Infection rates in Portsmouth are still high. Our hard-pressed healthcare staff are still coping with the fallout and anyone who has suffered the effects of the virus will tell you that it is no joke.

Here at The News we’ve always been very clear about our stance on the matter.

Our message has not changed, and unless a miracle happens and Covid-19 is completely wiped out, that message remains in place.

Yes, wearing a face mask is a pain, but we still recommend keeping one handy if you’re venturing into busy indoor areas.

Yes, being cautious and keeping your distance from others is tiresome and every one of us is heartily sick of it, but the alternative is to recklessly mingle in close proximity to others who may unwittingly spread Covid to members of your family. Symptoms may be mild for you, but what about your elderly relatives?

The message remains the same. Have fun, get out and about and help inject some life into our local businesses.

But temper your enthusism with a little caution, that’s all we ask.