Jobocalypse now: the race to lift lockdown

Over thee million jobs.

That would be the cost of failing to open up businesses in time for summer.

“Christ!” said Boris Johnson.

The prime minister had not quite realised the economic urgency behind the need to lift lockdown.

This led to a group of ministers – now known as the “Save Summer Six” – being tasked with getting life in the UK back to normal by July.

But the British government faces a serious dilemma.

Lift lockdown too quickly and the virus risks spreading again. Return to normal life too slowly and face severe economic consequences for years.

For instance, many businesses in the hospitality sector are on the brink of collapse. “Their key time is the summer,” one senior civil servant told the Sunday Times. “If they can’t get going in July, a lot of them will just shut up shop for good.”

Political editor Tim Shipman revealed that the fear of seeing millions of jobs disappear has led to a change of heart inside Downing Street. While Johnson used to say that the health of the nation must come first, the focus is now squarely on the economy.

The government looks set to allow outdoor marriages, pubs and restaurants to serve in outdoor areas, and hairdressers to re-open. There is also pressure from businesses to reduce the social distance rule from 2m to 1m.

However, the UK has suffered a great deal because of the coronavirus outbreak, and many are blaming the government’s response.

With the R rate appearing to have crept above the number one in some UK regions, and daily new coronavirus infections still above 1,000, scientists and medical experts are sceptical about the plans.

Senior figures in the health sector told the Guardian that the government was using “cheap political rhetoric” instead of providing a clear strategy. Criticising the plan to lift lockdown, one said, “We absolutely don’t want any more relaxation.”

Dr Hans Kluge, director for the WHO European region told the Telegraph that Europe is in danger of suffering a deadlier second wave of the virus. He said, “This is not a time for celebration, it’s a time for preparation.”

But after losing a lot of political capital over the last few months, Boris Johnson is desperate to make the return to normality a success.

So, is it really time to end the lockdown?

Unlock?

Yes. Though the UK has struggled with this dangerous new virus, the country has upped its testing capacity and hospitals are receiving fewer Covid-19 patients each day. Though the virus has not been completely eliminated, we have to live with it until there is a vaccine. Enough damage has already been caused – job losses and a summer of economic desperation will only lead to more misery.

No. The government was supposed to be “following the science”. But infection rates in the UK are still high and many medical professionals say that it is too dangerous to ease lock down. A strong economy only makes sense if there are people to benefit from it. The government should continue to protect businesses affected by the pandemic until the R rate is down and track and trace is in place.