Discussion: Where do we stand now with Covid-19?
After almost two years of lockdowns, mask-wearing, elbow high-fives and intense handwashing, it’s finally seemed that life was returning to normal. However, with recent news of the Omicron variation, have we been naive in our hopefulness?
Omicron is the name given to the latest variant of the Covid-19 virus, and it is the fifth different type to be found.
It was first reported to the World Health Organisation on November 24, making the gap between variants to be detected around six months — the mutation before that being the much feared Delta variant.
Back then, on June 14, Boris Johnson addressed the nation and explained how the lockdown was to be extended, including the dreaded Rule of Six.
So with the arrival of this new variant, and some restrictions returning in the Government’s Plan B operation, there is some fear amongst the public of another lockdown.
However, it seems that the public has had enough. The hashtag #WeWillNotComply trended for several days on Twitter, in reference to the return of mandatory mask-wearing in most closed spaces.
This public discourse is largely due to the bombshell revelation that whilst in strict lockdown measures in December 2020, officials of Downing Street held a non regulation Christmas party — with no social distancing and no masks.
This, of course, came after several reports of politicians breaking lockdown rules by making unnecessary journeys, or more infamously getting caught on CCTV having an affair at the office.
David Gallone (58), a small business owner, was amongst the many that were outraged by this news.
“I think it’s a joke, honestly.”
He said: “We are being led by idiots. It’s one rule for us and another for them. So many people have died over these two years, and they’re at their parties… laughing at us on TV.”
In regards to the return of some regulations and the possibility of another lockdown, David said he is not sure what to think of it all, and is sure that many of the population are of the same mind.
“I think a lot of people just won’t follow the rules any more,” he continued. “Everyone’s sick of it.”
This uncertainty is shared by Bethany Bevan, 21, a cocktail server who believes this precariousness is down to faults in authority. Her standpoint is that the issues don’t come with the restrictions themselves, but “in the way it’s all being handled”.
She added: “[The Government] spoke about vaccine passports a while ago and now they’re putting that in place, which makes me feel a little safer at work — but at the same time I do think it’s bad because it’s not really being taken seriously.”
Bethany gave an example of shops turning a blind eye to people both not wearing masks and not showing some form of exemption.
Whilst vaccine passports have been a major talking point this past month, there were discussions about their introduction near the beginning of the year.
In fact, there was a petition that amassed over 300,000 votes requesting that the Government do away with vaccine passports. This could be an indication that perhaps not as many people will follow official guidelines as the Government may hope.
With a perhaps more tolerant mindset, 25-year-old waiter and university student Duncan Dibb-Holland thinks that the return of certain restrictions is appropriate “as long as they are proportional to the threat posed”. He believes regulations such as mandatory facemasks, if adhered to by everyone, are an easy way to combat more virus transmission.
Duncan, like many, is an advocate for vaccinations. “If the global community does not support countries without the financial ability to buy and distribute vaccines, different variants will continue to develop and mutate,” he said.
“And the longer they are left to mutate, the more likely these mutations will circumvent the protections provided by the vaccine — and result in a far larger threat to us all, whether we’re vaccinated or not.”
However, there is a large proportion of the population that are against vaccinations. Protests against not only the vaccine but also lockdown restrictions in general have been taking place since the very start of the pandemic — and continue to happen more recently amongst the government’s consistent advice for people to receive their second or third dose.
David Gallone’s uncertainty has affected his opinion about this, he said: “The second dose was supposed to end [restrictions], so what’s this third one going to do? As bad as it sounds, it all feels a bit futile at this point.”
Because of the uncertainty of not only the public but seemingly the Government too, the country has been placed into an awkward grey area. When not even the people who run our country can follow their own rules, put in place to keep everyone safe, should the public follow suit?
Is a life without Covid within our grasp, or simply no longer an option?
