British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered the closure of most retail stores and banned gatherings for three in a stepped-up response to slow the coronavirus outbreak. | Image: UK Pool via AP
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has officially announced a country-wide lockdown. After many accusations that he has been dragging his heels in his response to coronavirus, Johnson has bought some strict new policies into play.
While many might see this as a restriction of our freedoms, it is essential to safeguard the old and vulnerable. More than that, this entire situation was made inevitable by a very selfish part of the British populous.
For weeks the U.K. government has been warning people to stay home to slow the spread of coronavirus. Despite this, many selfish Brits continued to visit pubs and bars . The boss of Weatherspoons even said that shutting down pubs wouldn’t save any lives .
It’s a similar story at supermarkets. Footage emerged of crowds gathering outside of shops in huge numbers . These sorts of massive, tightly-packed crowds are breeding grounds for the coronavirus.
It’s exactly because of this selfish behavior that the U.K. lockdown is now essential. The population cannot be trusted to stay home when advised. Now, the police are enforcing these rules because of our country’s terrible attitude toward the pandemic.
The most heartbreaking part of this whole affair has been the attitudes of the young and healthy. Despite the seriousness of the situation, much footage exists of young people flouting government advice .
Many of them don’t seem to care that it’s not them who will suffer if they catch coronavirus. Not only is it completely possible for the young and healthy to suffer greatly from the virus — they also risk transmitting it to the elderly, the vulnerable, and the immunocompromised.
It is 100% for the best that this lockdown is now official. No longer will those who simply ‘don’t care’ be allowed to flout the rules and advice given to keep us all safe and healthy. Even if they’re thinking about it, hopefully, the potential for fines and a criminal record might make them think twice.