Coronavirus Diaries – Part 6

June 1st to July 31st

This is our Coronavirus Diaries – Part 6. This period of time was one of easing of restrictions and a reduction in spread of the disease. Certain school years could return to school and groups of up to 6 people were allowed to meet outdoors.

Reception was one of the years allowed to return but we decided to keep our daughter home. It wasn’t an easy decision but one that the school supported.

By the 5th of June the number of deaths in the UK reached 40,000. A figure that seemed unimaginable just a few months previous. However, the positive news was that death rates were their lowest since before the first wave took off.

During the first few weeks of June, it felt like mostly good news. Non essential retail was allowed to reopen and confirmation that pubs, restaurants and hairdressers would be allowed to open in early July was confirmed.

There was also confirmation that the cheap and easy to access drug, dexamethasone was really helping with recovery from Covid-19. The first really big bit of breakthrough news medically that we’d received since the beginning of the pandemic.

Mid June 2020

By mid June the UK’s risk level was reduced from 4 down to 3. This was a significant moment in the pandemic so far. Also, to many peoples joy, Spain announced that they’d allow UK residents to visit without quarantine.

By the end of the month however there was talk of local lockdowns being introduced to curb spikes, the first one being in the City of Leicester.

A proposal that quarantine measures for those returning to the UK might be eased prompts a boost in travel bookings. We were amongst those listening carefully for when we’d be able to travel again!

July 2020

And sure enough by the beginning on July it was announced that there would be ‘travel corridors’ to 75 countries, from which we’d not need to quarantine on our return. This was coming into effect a week later. So, after a chat and a research we booked a Euro Tunnel ticket and a place in the Champagne Ardenne region of France. The drive was going to be long but we were SO ready for it.

So on the 11th July, the day after the borders reopened we headed off for a much needed break. It was both the best holiday we’ve ever had but also the strangest. I took a box of cleaning products with us and we had to swat up on the Coronavirus protocols and rules in France. It’s just not something you ever ever imagine you’d need to be doing.

Later on in July it became mandatory to wear face masks in Shops and supermarkets, a decision that many felt should have been taken earlier.

The rest of the month was a period of reflection and relaxation of measures. Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, claimed that there would be a significant return to normality by Christmas. Whether that would be the case was yet to be seen.

Thank you for reading our Coronavirus Dairies – Part 6. If you’d like to read our other Coronavirus Diaries, check them out here.

Coronavirus Diaries Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5