-What is happening with the restrictions now 

On the glorious day of 19th July, covid restrictions were almost entirely eased in the UK. Our prime minister did warn that ‘the pandemic is not over’. However, the eradication of these measures created a feeling as though the pandemic was being cancelled in this country. This can be seen in our daily life too: public transport, communal areas, parks, malls all seem to be more crowded. Whilst face masks are worn less often. One rises, one declines. A few months later now, and suddenly there’s an increased pressure of bringing back a few measures. Health officials are urging the PM for this, considering what covid-case related statistics are showing. Will Boris Johnson stick true to his indication, or continue on this path? 

 

-Is the pandemic worsening and how it’s being tackled 

Recently, there has been a sharp rise of people testing positive for covid. More than 50,000 cases have been counted, in only one day- the 18th of October. Sourced through: Gov.UK dashboard. Although this, hospital admissions are lower and daily deaths are somewhat steady. The increase can be attributed to a myriad of occurrences. For example eased rules, which factors in masks being worn less or inefficient social distancing. Additionally, as winter rolls in and brings its cold, challenging storm, controlling the virus becomes even more critical. So, have the pleas of health leaders and these numbers been heard? There is a possibility that ‘Plan B’ will be implemented. 

 

-What's Plan B’ 

Plan B- ‘The contingency plan for if the NHS is under unsustainable pressure’. It would include obligatory covid passports, compulsory wearing of face masks and recommending the public to work from home. This week, during a Downing Street news conference, Sajid Javid stated ‘If we believe at any point it’s (pressure on the NHS) becoming unsustainable...we won't hesitate to act’. Asserting that plan B could replace ‘A’ at any point, depending on how dire the situation grows into. Plan A -England’s current strategy in dealing with the winter’s perils for the virus- simply emphasizes on the vaccination programme and advises general measures for combating covid.  
 

-More on how Plan B may affect our lifestyles 

As mentioned earlier, the government has received criticism from various sources. The NHS asserted stricter measures need to be brought in to avoid ‘stumbling into a winter crisis’. Whereas the BMA(British Medical Association), a trade union for doctors, has called out the government for being ‘willfully negligent’. Although, this precaution -against the upcoming season’s hazards- won’t mean another lockdown, lifestyles will become slightly more restricted. I asked a neighbor on their thoughts as to the risk of plan B being implemented: 'I think, well obviously, if cases continue to rise and things don’t look so good, Plan B should come into place. Even though there'll be more restrictions, it's for our safety and doesn't seem to have a really significant impact on our lifestyle'. In Wimbledon, we may see less crowded areas with many more wearing face masks. Moreover, few businesses and shops may cut down their hours or be empty as the genral public will be advised to work from home. 
 

-What can be done currently  

If the statistics take a turn for the worse, the government is likely to retract their current resistance towards plan B. All depending on the NHS’ overall state. This has raised concern whether this contingency will tackle the ‘winter crisis’ too late. What if statistics only denote concern in the latter part of our current, unpredictable situation. Yet again the possibility of covid restrictions returning reminds us that Covid-19 still remains. This pandemic continues to torment our lifestyle. This pathogen continues to create uncertainty and suffering. This virus continues to coexist with us human beings. So we must ensure precautions are in place, and we stick to these. The warning was given: ‘the pandemic is not over’- becoming truer now than ever before.