Restrictions are relaxing, and from the 4th of July this weekend more shops and bars are going to be allowed to open. Whether this will be a good thing will depend on how diligent people are in acting sensibly.
Cases are already surging in the USA as states have reopened, and in other countries. Of course it is inevitable that there will be resurgences because the virus relies on proximity and human interaction to spread. But just how bad these waves will be depends on a number of factors, including sheer stupidity and ignorance right from the top down.
I personally do not plan on going into any crowded situations, and am not in a hurry to increase risk unnecessarily until we know we can control and treat it better than in the Spring of this year. Of course what you define as unnecessary will vary.
Currently we plan on going to Finland to see family and friends, but it’s not without risk and certainly not without a lack of clarity about how it will go.
The worry right now for me is the long term. Once we get to Autumn and Winter, and even longer. Do I live in a country that respects scientists and health experts and is there a responsible and competent government and infrastructure in charge of handling further outbreaks?
Even when Covid-19 is under control, it is highly likely that this type of pandemic event can return, and it could be even deadlier, a different virus or even bacterium. What then? Are we know preparing for that likely scenario? Will the UK be able to lockdown, contact and trace immediately in the event of a global pandemic alert? Can we have economic tools in place to isolate, put calculated areas on hold?
If the picture I have from the media is reasonably representative, I fear that this will not be the case.
Right now the future looks a little bleak unless we concentrate less on rampant capitalism and self interest, and more on progress, fighting climate change, inequality, pollution…just trying to get to a better place as human beings On this precious life-sustaining planet.