Boris’s baffling new Northern lock-down rules are causing real fear and despair in Manchester.
A darkness of mood has descended on the city famous for its nightlife and music.
And its the elderly and the lonely who seem to be suffering the most after they were granted small bubbles of hope a few weeks ago but have been effectively burst by coronavirus spikes across the region.
The Manc madness from Boris’s boffins has confused so many – particularly when they appeared to mean that couples who do not live together could meet up in hotels, campsites and B&Bs. But not in their homes, gardens or houseboats.
Emergency coronavirus restrictions imposed on the region have been signed into law — banning 4.5 million people from visiting each other.
Official figures have shown the average daily number of infections has topped 800 for the first time in a month. And Ministers say the new restrictions could be applied to any part of England where the virus soars.
From midnight last night, anyone found flouting the new rules in the restricted areas could be fined £100 and up to a maximum of £3,200 for repeat offences.
Here is a Letter to the Editor from an elderly grandmother, with health issues, who is facing yet another lock down in her small detached home on a 1930s suburban estate with tiny gardens and narrow roads:
“Round here in Manchester all sorts of people are struggling with changes because of the virus spiking.
Friends who are are living alone like me are not leaving the house, choosing not to have a bubble i.e one single house hold or person they can visit.
I am going out for a walk, many other people are not even doing that.
I have realized that my cleaner is my ‘bubble’. She is the only person I see and talk to face-to-face. Now she has pointed out that with the new laws she understands if I decide I don’t want her to come and do my cleaning.
Her other ladies have each decided – one to cancel and the other to carry on but be in separate rooms as far as possible.
Another of my friends has a cleaner who wears total PPE and takes her shoes off at the door, uses antiseptic gel coming in and out and leaves her ‘overall’ for my friend to put through the wash after each visit.
Another friend who is herself a front line worker who goes to families to check very young children in families with problems also has all the above precautions and more.
Another neighbour never leaves the house and bleaches all the packaging of anything that comes into his house.
He has no cleaners, just a friend who gets his shopping.
Basically my cleaner is the only person I have but she doesn’t adhere to these strict measures.
She shops, she goes to the pub, out for a meal (all within present rules), she wears a mask in shops and uses hand gel.
And she wears gloves when cleaning.
Today I have to give my decision and it’s not an easy one.
It is EASY actually, I should not let her continue. But for my mental health and coping she is invaluable. Writing it down to share with you is helpful – but obviously nobody can decide this for me …
#Lonely #Manchester #covid19 #isolation #oldpeople
