Opinion : Was it ‘freedom day’ for us or ‘freedom day’ for the virus?
Monday 19th July 2021 was widely described as ‘freedom day’ due to the relaxation of Covid restrictions in England.
With the end of ‘lockdown’, the scraping of the ‘rule of six’, mask wearing becoming a matter of choice and many of the Covid restrictions dropped at last we are all supposedly ‘free’ to go about our daily lives as normal. Well as normal as possible under the circumstances.
However the Covid virus is still with us and enjoying a resurgence as it spreads through the community. Indeed today, Tuesday 20th July 2021, figures showed there were 499 new cases of the virus officially recorded in Buckinghamshire. That figure is rising on a daily basis, in fact a week ago on Tuesday 13th July 2021 there were only 259 new cases recorded.
The ending of lockdown and dropping of Covid restrictions may have freed the people to return to what they consider normal life but surely the relaxation of the measures to control the spread of the virus have also freed the virus to spread among those who are now deciding to enjoy their so called ‘freedom’.
In my view we, the people, are not free at all rather any freedom gained will be exploited by the nasty virus which can now spread easier.
Of course those more susceptible to the virus such as older members of the community and those with ailments that make them more susceptible to the effects of the virus have been vaccinated so mortality rates will now be much lower than in previous waves of the virus.
Ever since the start of the pandemic there has been talk of the country achieving ‘heard immunity’. By allowing the virus to spread will it not increase the number of people who have been infected thus helping to make the ‘heard immunity’ concept become reality?
Perhaps ‘freedom day’ should actually have been referred to as ‘heard immunity day’?
Let those who wish to rush into normal life do so, however my good self will still be wearing my trusty FFP3 mask and taking the necessary precautions to avoid the virus.
Somehow yours truly has a sneaky suspicion that daily Covid infections within the community will soon rise to eye watering levels and the restrictions that were lifted so triumphantly may well be reimposed, perhaps sooner than expected?
What do you think?
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