Was feeling really optimistic just a few days ago, infection levels were dropping, lockdown 2 looked set to end on time and vaccines were on their way. And then it was rumoured the tiered restrictions were going to get tougher with the top one closing all restaurants and pubs.
Then I heard that the restrictions would likely apply to bigger areas, counties rather than districts and slowly it dawned on me that this could be very bad news. And so it was confirmed yesterday that my relatively Covid-free village in the council area with the lowest infections in the county is to vault from tier 1 to tier 3 on December 2nd.
I know this is overdramatising somewhat but it felt like my prison sentence had been commuted from imminent release to life , a bit like the unforgettable 53 days scene in the 1978 film Midnight Express!
I had everything planned from a meal out with Mrs Jones this time next week, a few pints at the local with three sets of mates, a friend staying over for a curry plus we’d even booked a socially distant night at the theatre.
All cancelled as like 23 million others in we head into another form of lockdown which, if past performance is anything to go by, could go on for a very long time. Am absolutely gutted, of all the mean tricks this Government has pulled, replacing one lockdown with another really does take the biscuit.
The list of things we can’t do in our very high alert tier 3 makes depressing reading:
- you must not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with anybody you do not live with, or who is not in your support bubble, this includes in any private garden or at most outdoor venues
- you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 in some other outdoor public spaces, including parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, a public garden, grounds of a heritage site or castle, or a sports facility – this is called the ‘rule of 6’
- hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha venues), pubs, cafes and restaurants are closed – they are permitted to continue sales by takeaway, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery services.
- accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, and guest houses must close.
- indoor entertainment and tourist venues must close. This includes:
- indoor play centres and areas, including trampolining parks and soft play
- casinos
- bingo halls
- bowling alleys
- skating rinks
- amusement arcades and adult gaming centres
- laser quests and escape rooms
- cinemas, theatres and concert halls
- snooker halls
- indoor attractions at mostly outdoor entertainment venues must also close (indoor shops, through-ways and public toilets at such attractions can remain open). This includes indoor attractions within:
- zoos, safari parks, and wildlife reserves
- aquariums, visitor attractions at farms, and other animal attractions
- model villages
- museums, galleries and sculpture parks
- botanical gardens, biomes or greenhouses
- theme parks, circuses, fairgrounds and funfairs
- visitor attractions at film studios, heritage sites such as castles and stately homes
- landmarks including observation decks and viewing platforms
Unbelievable! When will it ever end? When will life return to any semblance of normality.