Let’s enjoy another curtailed Christmas in the sure knowledge of better times ahead
It’s been a long and tough couple of years since we first heard of Covid so it was gutting to discover we must rein ourselves in again this Christmas.
It’s dispiriting but it doesn’t all have to be gloom and doom. As we have been saying all the way through this ordeal: “We are in it together” and what matters most is being with the people we love, safely and responsibly.
We are so much better prepared this time round. We know a whole lot more about the virus, we have experienced a huge range of restrictions and regulations, we have become used to adapting to rule changes and now have vaccines and treatments.
All of that should make it easier to manage so while it’s disappointing, we do all have to heed the data and the science, because in Scotland that has been our government’s position the whole way through. They have been consistent throughout this pandemic and we should not all start doing our own thing now. We must not take our foot of the gas just because we are fed up.
Remember that last year the rule was only eight people from three households allowed to gather together on Christmas day? And Boxing Day saw most us back under Level Four restrictions.
Well it’s a different ball game this year. We don’t have those kinds of restrictions. So let’s try to focus on what we can do rather than what we can’t do and make the absolute best of that.
So if only three households can get together under one roof, we should make sure we stick to that. But let’s take lateral flow tests before we meet, and stick on an extra Christmas jumper so that we can stay warm when we open windows to get rid of any infectious particles that might be in the air. We should remind ourselves of the basics - to socially distance and wear a mask, wash our hands regularly or use hand sanitiser wherever and whenever those things are in place.
We all know that at parties, it’s so easy to forget and become a little bit careless, especially when
alcohol is involved. So it makes sense not to get too trolleyed, much as we might like to, because that way we can remember what we ought to be doing.
I, for one, will be spreading my social calendar across the whole festive period rather than doing something different each day. Prioritising what we really want to do and who we really want to be with, rather than trying to go to everything and be with everyone, will help us stay safe and keep those we love safe too. We have all got to play our part in this to avoid another huge outbreak and a massive problem for our NHS and economy. But let’s not forget the spirit of Scotland.
Christmas and Hogmanay are special days for us and while we might not be able to do everything we might want to, we need to keep focused on the long-term and getting through this pandemic together.
Better times are ahead.