Come what may, we must unlock Britain
Another Monday sees another milestone in the slow crawl back to post-covid normality. From today, all shops can open once more. To the relief of millions, hairdressers and beauty salons will be able to take customers again while pubs and restaurants can also serve food and drink, but only outside. This cautious unlocking is deemed essential by the Government to avoid another surge in Covid cases, but the country needs to be assured that if the numbers do rise once more the “roadmap” will stay in place.
As people mix again the chances must be high of coronavirus spreading. But with the vast majority of the most vulnerable people now vaccinated at least once, and many twice, this cannot be the key metric by which restrictions are reimposed. For weeks now, there have been fewer deaths overall than would normally be expected at this time of the year.
Moreover, while the Government’s reluctance to end the lockdown more quickly is understandable, some of the rules and guidance remains arbitrary, bordering on pettifogging.
The Government’s website says hair salons “should consider providing shorter, more basic treatments to keep the time to a minimum”. Is that really necessary when women have been waiting for months for colouring and highlights?
Who makes up these rules and do they have any idea what they are doing? On what scientific basis can someone shop for two hours but not have their hair done for the same length of time? Even as the lockdown is dismantled bit by bit, officialdom seems determined to make life as difficult as possible not just for the salons themselves but their customers too.
The current weather is not entirely conducive to alfresco dining either, so pubs and restaurants with gardens may find business slow. Those without any outside facilities will be unable to open until midmay. The hospitality industry had already done a great deal to make their premises “Covid safe” before the most recent lockdown was imposed in January, and were ready to open fully sooner. It is a shame they were not given the chance.
The retail and hospitality sectors have lost billions which they will hope to make up in the coming months as a nation whose savings have grown starts to spend once more. But they need to be sure that this time they will not be made to close again.