Lockdown lifting, leaving Leicester behind

Source: Flickr

Lockdown restrictions in England are to be eased from 4 July, with social distancing rules reducing from two metres to “one metre plus.” With the recent outbreak in Leicester, is this wise? Asks Deepali Foster.

The Government has declared that, in response to a fall in the number of coronavirus infections and the R rate (the average number of people infected by each COVID-positive person) remaining below one, lockdown rules in England will be further eased from 4 July. On 23 June, Boris Johnson announced that “our long national hibernation is beginning to come to an end and life is returning to our streets, and to our shops.” However, as someone living in Leicester, a COVID-19 ‘hotspot,’ I fear the consequences of our PM prioritising economic motives over the nation’s health.

Provided they adhere to guidelines, on 4 July more businesses and leisure facilities will reopen, including cafes, pubs, restaurants, libraries, museums, galleries, cinemas and theme parks. Hairdressers and barbers have been booking in clients, currently taped up outdoor exercise equipment will be available for use, and places of worship will accommodate for group prayers and services of less than 30 people.  

Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, has warned that the loosening of restrictions is not “risk-free,” however the PM is dangerously overruling this concern, in order to aid the reopening of the hospitality industry, declaring that from 4 July social distancing will be reduced to one metre plus. 

The new rules will allow up to two different households to meet up indoors, with your “support bubble” counting as one household. From 4 July, you - and members of your household or support bubble - can stay overnight in groups of up to two households, as long as social distancing is maintained and shared facilities are avoided.

Those missing their loved ones are relieved at the news of lockdown measures being relaxed, yet I dread the drastic halving of the two metre distance rule and feel uncertain about what lies ahead. Not only has my Instagram feed already returned to its pre-pandemic normal, showing friends breaching rules at house parties, but crowds flooding to Bournemouth beach just a day after the PM’s announcement suggests a widespread false sense of security. Reckless behaviour, modelled by Dominic Cummings’ treacherous odyssey, is unfit for a country suffering a public health crisis. I worry about the danger of mates reuniting over pints of beer on ‘Super Saturday.’

Whilst Boris Johnson enthuses “frankly I can’t wait to go to a pub,” as a resident in Leicester, I won’t be rejoicing at the forthcoming freedoms anytime soon. Health Secretary Matt Hancock told MPs that “Leicester accounts for around 10% of all positive cases in the country over the past week. And admissions to hospital are between six and 10 per day rather than around one a day at other trusts.” Therefore, Leicester will be placed at an economic disadvantage as the city and its surrounding areas will not enjoy the new 4 July rules. Non-essential shops have already closed, and Hancock declared that from 2 July, schools will once again shut for all children except those of key workers. 

Despite the fact that activist group, Labour Behind the Label, has highlighted links between Leicester’s coronavirus outbreak and the conditions at its small textile factories, Boris Johnson’s statement that it was difficult “getting people [in Leicester] to understand what they were required to do” suggests racism in the Government’s response. There are reports of factories not shutting down during the lockdown, sometimes under pressure to fulfil retailers’ orders. Staff have been forced to go to work under threat of losing their jobs, even having to work through illness, having tested positive for the virus. Low wage, uncertain employment conditions, and high density housing may contribute to higher infection rates, but that is an outcome of poverty due to government policy, not poor English skills.

I feel proud that Leicester is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the UK, with a high proportion of Black, Asian and other minority citizens, and alarmed that Johnson blames the city’s spike on poor language skills. The Government’s slow, damaging and incompetent response to the virus is to blame. Localised lockdown was implemented 13 days after Matt Hancock announced it; why was there a lack of urgency when Leicester is so obviously a high-risk city with factory jobs, high density households and a population more at risk than others? Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Question’s highlighted issues with some data from Pillar 2 not being available. "What that meant was that the local authority thought there were 80 positive tests in the last fortnight but there was actually 944." The social and economic impact of this localised lockdown on my city will be potent and I am not confident that we will be provided with the essential resources and support.

The recent localised outbreak of COVID-19 in Leicester proves the gamble of easing lockdown prematurely; rushing towards unrealistic freedoms could be fatal. The Government’s poor handling of the situation in Leicester reflects its wider failure to respond effectively to this health crisis.

As the much-anticipated bustle returns after over three months of restrictions, I believe it is crucial to remember the great danger of permitting millions of vulnerable people to break their isolation whilst the virus still looms. Caution must be taken, especially true for members of the public at a higher risk of infection, such as those living with underlying health conditions, over the age of 70, or from Black and Asian backgrounds. 

I urge people to listen to the science; continue to wear masks in public, adhere to the one metre plus social distancing rule, and sanitise your hands thoroughly and frequently. The 4 July easing of restrictions has the potential to undermine the endurance and individual sacrifices of many; their loss, grief and the intimacy they have forgone. A second wave of cases, as well as spikes in particular areas, are still a real possibility.

Pi Opinion content does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial team, Pi Media society, Students’ Union UCL or University College London. We aim to publish opinions from across the student body — if you read anything you would like to respond to, get in touch via email.