So, some people think that restrictions and lockdowns are too severe and I'm one of them.
That doesn't mean I'm in favour of throwing caution to the wind, far from it. I firmly believe in the wearing of masks both indoors and outdoors too in crowded places. I am a huge believer in keeping social distancing where it is at all possible but I am against the recent lockdowns in Wales. Is the recent increase in cases in North Wales a result of tourism? Partly perhaps but the real reason is the people, no matter where they have come from.
Months on from the beginning of this crisis most business places I have visited have now implemented whatever is needed to make life as safe as possible, the trouble is a percentage of people just ignore the precautions that are there for their benefit.
Yesterday I had reason to visit B&Q in Llandudno and I have to say you can't fault their efforts to maintain distancing. They have the space and it's well marked out with directional arrows indicating which way foot flow should go. Most people were, it appeared, more than happy to stick to the floorpan even if it involved a little extra walking but one particular couple just ignored them totally and wandered where they wanted. I passed a comment to the lady on the till and she just shrugged her shoulders in a sign of submission, helpless to do anything about it really.
All the lockdowns will amount to nothing until everyone does the right thing and do as requested. But they won't.Not if they are allowed to continue unchallenged.
In the meantime people like myself are no longer allowed to invite a carefully selected number of similarly cautious people we know and trust in to our homes. As winter approaches it will become an increasingly isolated life. I live on the outskirts of town but I avoid anywhere where there are crowds of people unless absolutely necessary. I have visited the town centre twice in 6 months because the pavements are too crowded. I go to the supermarket once a week.Full stop.
So what's the answer? It has to be rule enforcement but plans to introduce "corvid marshals" are met with derision and/or outrage.
85-90% of the population are prepared to stick to the rules if they are reasonable. 50% admit to having broken them in some form or other, probably having visited a friends house during lockdown.
Why do we continue to allow 10-15% to flagrantly continue to do as they please whilst the rest of us stick to the rules?
Surely the time has come to relax the rules but hit down hard on those that break the ones that remain in place whether they be individuals or businesses.
There should be sufficiently long windows of opportunity for the old and vulnerable to come out of their hiding places and live their lives without fear too. Times when the rest of the population is at work or school.
Only then do we stand a chance of retaining a certain amount of normality whilst maintaining a level of personal safety too.
Just my opinion of course, no doubt there will be those that disagree.
