Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

'All we can do is carry on' - Brits describe life under lockdown as new Covid strain shatters holiday plans

'All we can do is carry on' - Brits describe life under lockdown as new Covid strain shatters holiday plans

Anxious, angry, and alone. That’s how many people in Britain are feeling just two days before Christmas, as a new Covid variant that seems to transmit more quickly spreads across the nation.

The U.K. government said on Saturday that it had no choice but to ban around 18 million people from visiting other households on Christmas Day, scuppering festive plans for people up and down the country.

Since then, dozens of countries around the world have closed their doors to Brits in an effort to prevent the new variant spreading among their own populations.

Jon from the London suburb of Surbiton, who did not want to share his full name, told CNBC that it feels like it did back in March when the coronavirus first hit Europe, only without the sunshine and long days. “I think there was more hope back then,” he said.

Jon said he’s “very concerned” about the new variant of the coronavirus. “If it keeps changing, will these vaccinations work?” he said. “Will it keep changing?”


Experts believe Covid vaccines are likely to protect against the new strain, but the WHO and others are running studies to confirm whether it has any impact on vaccine efficacy.

Jon said he’s personally “had enough,” but it’s the younger generation he feels really sorry for, including the likes of his daughter who is 24.

“Perhaps they should be giving the vaccine to those that can get the economy back on its feet before giving it to the elderly isolated in homes,” he said.

One bright spot for the country is that vaccines are already being rolled out, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying this week that over 500,000 people had already received the first dose of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine.

Despite this, however, Jon isn’t particularly optimistic about 2021 — especially the first half of the year. “All we can do is carry on,” he said. “On the positive side, I believe it’s brought the street and neighbors closer together.”


International routes cut off


More than 40 countries around the world have restricted travel from the U.K. since Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s press conference on Saturday.

In Europe, that includes Ireland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium, and outside of the continent it includes Canada, Argentina and Israel.

France also closed its borders to the U.K., blocking freight transport accompanied by drivers. The move saw over 1,000 trucks backed up across Kent, although on Wednesday borders are due to reopen to passengers from England.


A drive sits in the cab of his lorry while parked on the M20 in Kent after the Port of Dover was closed after the French government’s announcement it will not accept any passengers arriving from the UK.


“Jokes aside of what items might be missing from our Christmas dinners as a result of the closed border between France and the U.K., the queues of trucks at Dover show how much we depend on good relations with our European partners,” said Kate Baldwin, a communications professional in London.

“As much as we all want an end to the horrendous year we’ve endured, I can’t help think that in 2021 the U.K. will simply move from one crisis into another with Brexit.”

Travel plans ruined


George Blackwell, a 28-year-old British expat living in Dubai, told CNBC he flew to London on Dec. 18 to be with his family for Christmas Day. He was due to stay until Dec. 28 but he flew back to the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 21, just three days after landing.

“The departure board at the airport on the way back was a long list of cancellations and Dubai seemingly the only open destination,” said Blackwell, who is a manager at a home appliance company. “The decision to return was a difficult family decision, but I felt I needed to return to my country of residence in fear of another global lockdown.”

During his brief stint in the U.K., Blackwell said it felt like there was a complete lack of understanding about the significance of the new strain of the virus.

“It was like a Hunger Games movie,” Blackwell said. “The total lack of understanding from the public as to how serious the virus really is made for an unnerving atmosphere which had me on edge the entire time I was there.”


The moment it was announced that London was going to be put into Tier 4 – the strictest lockdown tier in England – thousands of people tried to escape the city.

Trains out of St. Pancras train station in central London were packed full of people trying to flee a city with one of the highest rates of the coronavirus, potentially spreading the virus to other parts of the country.

Lynne Harvey, 71, told CNBC she’s “not too concerned about the mutated virus,” adding that she understands “its transmission is faster but not more virulent.”

“We just need to continue masking, spacing and washing hands. I have always worn disposable gloves when shopping as I’m classed as extremely vulnerable,” she added.

Harvey said she would also like to see law enforcement get stricter with those that break the rules. “I think a lot of people are far too complacent compared to March and not socially distancing ... I think this country is far too soft on people flaunting the recommendations, bring in the Army.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×