‘Freedom day’ delayed as lockdown extended

Will lockdown ever end? Yesterday, Britain’s government announced that the current restrictions would not be lifted next week after all, prompting fears that they could drag on and on. Sir Van Morrison was incandescent. After a 15-month delay, the veteran singer’s tour was finally underway. But just a few hours before a gig in Belfast, he was told that it could not go ahead. Grabbing a microphone, he let rip at Northern Ireland’s health minister, encouraging everyone in the room to take up his chant: “Rob Swann is very dangerous!” Even an MP, Ian Paisley Junior, joined in. Sir Van was expressing the frustration felt by thousands over the continuation of Britain’s lockdown. For weeks, the government had promised that all restrictions would be lifted on 21 June; his concerts were among the test events scheduled to prepare for the great day. But a fortnight ago, with statistics showing that the Delta variant of Covid-19 was on the rise, the chances of relaxation started looking increasingly slim. And yesterday came the announcement that everyone dreaded: almost all current restrictions will remain in effect until 19 July. The extension, however, requires the approval of the House of Commons – and Boris Johnson could face a sizeable rebellion from Conservative MPs. Among scientists, politicians and even doctors, opinions are sharply divided. Writing in the Daily Mail, one GP claims that the government is pushing the country into a “draconian dystopia”. Dr Reneé Hoenderkamp fears that when 19 July arrives, the government will insist on a further extension, claiming that it is vital to avoid a surge of cases when the colder autumn weather arrives. “As a GP,” she writes, “I do not accept that there is any valid medical reason for carrying on with any level of lockdown that overrides the multiple compelling reasons for getting back to normal.” The original reason for the lockdown, she argues, was to save the NHS from being overwhelmed by Covid. But now that half of Britain’s population has been doubly vaccinated, the danger of that has receded. Instead, the health service could be overwhelmed by the backlog of patients with other problems. There are now 5.1 million people on the NHS’s waiting lists – the largest number in its 73-year history. Some of them have life-threatening conditions such as cancer and heart disease. Others – such as those with knee and hip problems – could be helped through straightforward surgery. But the longer they have to wait, the worse their conditions could become. In trying to make it more bearable, they might develop a dependency on painkillers or alcohol. If they cannot exercise, they could become overweight. They are also likely to become depressed. After the full lockdown in the spring, A&E departments experienced a 30% increase in admissions for serious mental health problems. According to one government adviser, however, easing restrictions too soon would “fan the flames” of rising infections. On Sunday the UK recorded 7,940 new cases – an increase of 49% in the space of a week. Will lockdown ever end? Extension tension Some say, no – at least in the sense that there will always be some restrictions, such as wearing masks in crowded places. It is very easy to lose freedoms, but hard to get them back, as people are now discovering. Those who create rules and regulations have had a field day since the pandemic began, and are not going to stop bossing us around if they can possibly help it. Others point out that what lockdown strictly means is not being allowed to leave your home. Most countries have got beyond that, and it will definitely become a thing of the past as more and more people are vaccinated. Measures such as wearing masks are sensible precautions – like banning smoking or having to wear seat belts or crash helmets – rather than an infringement of liberty. KeywordsIncandescent - Extremely angry. The word literally means "glowing with heat".