Yesterday, 12 April 2021, saw the easing of lockdown restrictions in England. Though somewhat tempting, I did not go for a midnight pint at a pub. It was way too cold for that. There were a few warm days towards the end of March, it seems as if the winter is back, at least where the temperatures are concerned. Despite the cold, the flowers are blossoming and the birds are chirping, and together with the longer hours of light each day, the easing of lockdown is giving me some uncharacteristic hope. There were a few brave souls in jackets enjoying their meal in the outdoor space yesterday afternoon and the two barbers near where I live were very busy.
Yet I remain cautious. Excessively so. While the consequences of contracting Covid-19 would are unlikely to be severe for me, as I do not belong to the at-risk age group and I do not have underlying health conditions, my belief is that it is still best to avoid catching it and perhaps more importantly it is best to avoid spreading it. Once I am vaccinated, I will be more comfortable using the public transport for instance, but until then my intention is to stay at home most of the time, and meet people outdoors.
I just hope that the vaccines are effective against all existing and yet-to-emerge Covid-19 variants, and that this easing of the lockdown won’t result in a big increase in the number of infections, hospital admissions, and deaths. The prospect of another lockdown fills me with fear and horror.