The ordeal is ending, now for the aftermath

HOW rapidly our world changed – overnight – destroying old routines and turning our lives upside down.

Workplaces were suddenly out of bounds, with families thrown together in homes that have become offices and virtual classrooms.

Worst of all, relatives and close friends were kept apart: an enforced separation that came at a significant psychological cost.

Relationships have been conducted remotely, with conversations carried out using video-conferencing software.

Technology has proved vital, yet it isn’t a real substitute for personal interaction.

Of course, the confirmation of a ‘modified’ lockdown yesterday doesn’t end the severe restrictions placed on our movements.

But it is a tremendous boost for national morale at a time when most of us are exhausted – and desperate to resume our former lives.

True, a complete return to that blessed time before ‘social distancing’ was part of our vocabulary remains off the table, for now at least.

But it’s impossible to overestimate the significance of the family reunions that will be taking place in coming days.

Some people have been forced to miss funerals, or stay away from sick and elderly relatives, to abide by the lockdown regulations.

Now grandparents and grandchildren can see each other in person, after more than eight weeks apart.

In some cases, they will be meeting newborn grandsons and granddaughters for the very first time.

Many elderly and vulnerable people with underlying health problems will, however, have to continue their self-isolation – a tough prospect indeed.

But their safety has to come first – and communities have rallied round those most in need.

Hearteningly, the temperamental Scottish weather looks promising, as forecasters predict a heatwave this weekend.

Barbecues, even of the socially-distanced variety, or trips to the park with friends, are back on the agenda.

Hiking, fishing and outdoor swimming and golf are possibilities, or even a visit to the local garden centre.

The extent to which our collective sanity will be restored by these simple measures can’t be exaggerated.

And it’s only possible because so many of us have stuck by the rules, even when they became almost intolerable.

But Nicola Sturgeon’s confession of her ‘nervousness’ ahead of this sunny weekend is entirely understandable.

Crowded beaches or parks with no social distancing are a major concern for public health authorities.

There’s a risk that many will interpret this cautious move towards easing lockdown as a signal that life’s back to normal.

Unavoidably, it isn’t – flouting the rules still in place only increases the risk of a spike in Covid-19, which could put overwhelming strain on the NHS.

We have come too far to imperil the progress we have made in curbing this extraordinarily aggressive virus.

It’s been a nightmarish ordeal, most of all for the bereaved and the dedicated medics and carers on the front line of battling it.

We’re not out of the woods yet: the economic repercussions of Covid-19, and the resulting paralysis of public life, will be long-lasting, and destructive.

But there are real and growing grounds for hope now that rates of transmission are under control, while scientists continue the search for a vaccine.

The path out of this surreal period was always going to be difficult, and we must ensure that – together – we tread carefully as we attempt to negotiate it.

Those are important caveats, and fortunately most of us are fully aware of our duty to keep the virus at bay.

For now, though – as we continue to hope for a future free of this dreadful illness – let’s enjoy those cherished freedoms denied to us for so long.