The UK is now on its fifth week on lockdown and you would think that people would have gotten the message about how important social distancing is in ensuring that the virus doesn’t spread at a rate that would overwhelm a healthcare system that is already at its limits.
However, someone took a shocking picture of a long queue of people who were lining up for some ice cream at a cafe in Hove, East Sussex and it’s clear that some people just don’t get it. With the warmer weather over the weekend, Brits who were getting cabin fever at being in isolation for so long seem to have forgotten why there are social distancing guidelines in the first place.
Eyewitness Ben Maughan, 34, said that it was “just absolutely packed” at the Hove seafront.
He said: “I usually go out for my evening run but it just wasn’t safe. The police just weren’t doing anything and that was the shocking thing. Usually, they have been telling people sitting on a bench to move on or putting out BBQs. Just actual policing.
“But they were just driving by on what looked like an ordinary Thursday summer’s day. Even the ice cream shop had reopened. It was as though lockdown had been lifted.
“Everyone seems to have had enough of being cooped up and wanted to get out to enjoy the weather.”
While there have been encouraging signs, including coronavirus hospitalizations seeing a plateau, authorities have warned that social distancing still needs to be maintained in order to avoid a second wave that would lead to another spike in infections.
Last week, Westminster Bridge again came under scrutiny during the Clap For Carers campaign. The initiative involves people going to their front door and clapping in order to show appreciation to NHS and other key workers at the coronavirus frontlines.
However, the bridge in Central London has seen large crowds gather every 8 pm on Thursday evenings but with a lack of social distancing. The police themselves have been criticized for breaking their own guidelines even as people in other parts of the country are being handed out fines.
One person wrote on Twitter: “Absolutely absurd. My dad’s partner is critically ill in the hospital yet I cannot visit her… but it’s OK for hundreds to gather on Westminster Bridge (again) including front line staff who really ought to know better.”
Another added: “Westminster Bridge, again. The rest of us are sat at home, following the rules. These people gather together, doing the exact thing the people they are showing their appreciation for don’t want them to do.”
Replaced!