Survey results: E&S readers urge caution on our journey to a strange normality
Express & Star readers have urged caution over the relaxation of lockdown measures – with a majority saying they have been eased too quickly.
Thousands of people took part in the newspaper’s second major survey of the coronavirus pandemic, giving their views on a range of issues including the Government’s handling of the crisis, the search for a vaccine and the reopening of schools.
And a number of concerns were raised over the relaxation of restrictions, which have seen non-essential shops reopen and a cut to the two metre social distancing rule.
A total of 62 per cent said lockdown measures were being eased too soon, while nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) said the restrictions should have been imposed before March 23.
Meanwhile less than a quarter (23 per cent) said they would feel safe using public transport at the moment, and nearly three in five people (58 per cent) said it was too early to further relax rules to allow family groups to fully meet up.
Survey results in full:
Boris Johnson has announced that pubs and restaurants can reopen from July 4, while the 2m rule has been lowered in some circumstances as the country continues its shift away from lockdown.
The restrictions have led to a ‘health vs wealth’ at the heart of government, with some ministers concerned over the impact of a prolonged lockdown on the economy, while others fear that easing them too early could lead to a second wave of Covid-19.
In our survey less than a third of people (32 per cent) thought pubs and restaurants should be allowed to reopen immediately, while 52 per cent said hairdressers should reopen.
More Covid-19 coverage:
Readers were split over the issue of pupils returning to school.
Since Gavin Williamson announced a phased reopening for some year groups two weeks ago, the majority of schools have started taking in children, although attendances are said to be down by three quarters in some of the region’s schools.
In our survey 40 per cent said they believed it was not yet safe for youngsters to return to school, with 37 per cent saying it was safe and 23 per cent unsure.
More than half (55 per cent) said they feared the country was heading for a deep recession as it battles to come to terms with the economic aftershock, which experts predict could see mass unemployment and thousands of businesses going bust.
In our previous survey a month ago readers were broadly supportive of the Government’s handling of the pandemic, and that is still the case now, with a quarter saying Boris Johnson had done a good job and a further 46 per cent saying mistakes were understandable given the circumstances.
A total of 29 per cent said the Government had dealt with the crisis badly and made it worse.
Meanwhile 40 per cent said they were “anxious” and could not see an end to the crisis, with 60 per cent saying they had become comfortable with the ‘new norm’.
Looking to the future, 56 per cent said they were confident that a vaccine would be found.
As Wolves prepare to face Bournemouth at Molineux tonight, readers overwhelmingly backed the return of top level football behind closed doors, with 73 per cent saying they supported having it back.
