July the 19th – Freedom Day. They made face masks our ‘personal responsibility’, nightclubs are reopening, sports stadiums are allowed to operate at full capacity, and social distancing is a thing of the past, except in airports and when self isolating which, depending on who you ask, is optional if you are notified by the app.
It’s all just a bit confusing. As cases are soaring upwards, it is deemed ‘safe’ by those in charge because the hospital admissions are not climbing in sweet, terrifying synchronicity.
And yet, from what we have seen this week, many things have not changed.
For those working in care homes, day opportunities services, and those working with the vulnerable, it’s business as usual, with regular testing, PPE and stringent cleaning measures. It’s no surprise, given that, among those with learning disabilities, the risk of death is significantly higher, and it isn’t just due to underlying health issues.
The study from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Oxford University and Public Health England found risks were particularly high for those with profound learning disabilities linked to Down’s syndrome and cerebral palsy. Among Covid patients with Down’s syndrome, for example, the risk of dying from the infection was 36 times higher than in the general population.
The Guardian, 15th July 2021
Over on Twitter, a number of hospitality venues have faced public backlash resulting from posts declaring they will be relinquishing all measures. Others however, have been completely unable to open due to severe staff shortages, a consequence of the ‘pingdemic’ following the Euro 2020 celebrations.
As with much of the handling of the pandemic, it would appear we are once again thrust into chaos. Now more than ever, it is important we take care of those around us.
Hands, face, space.
However, in the darkness, it is heartwarming to see that companies across the world have learned from the pandemic, and are continuing some of the changes that came about during the lockdown periods. Apple has delayed staff returns to the office. In May, over 80% of the UK’s biggest employers have said that they would continue to encourage a mix of home and office work, while four companies said that hybrid working would be kept long term, subject to review.
While the arrangements do not work for all industries, it is good to know that people who can make a change, have done just that.
Throughout the pandemic, we heard the phrase ‘the New Normal’ repeated like a mantra, but here we are, 16 months later, emerging. For now, it is important we keep our expectations in check. Going back to ‘how things were’ will inevitably set us back, and therefore we find ourselves here, in the new normal, just doing the best we can for our own health and wellbeing.