Thursday 23 March marks three years since Boris Johnson announced the first lockdown as the coronavirus swept the UK.
On the first anniversary, all four UK countries issued lockdown orders after the virus re-emerged in early 2021, before the vaccination program had time to go into effect.
While the government has long since lifted all Covid restrictions and safety measures, the UK is by no means free from the disease. I Reported Covid cases rose 20 percent in December as experts warned a new wave of the virus was spreading.
As of March 21, 2023, the World Health Organization has recorded over 6,879,677 Covid-19 deaths worldwide, of which 209,396 have been in the UK since lockdown began in 2020.
While daily testing and social isolation is a thing of the past for most people, they may still live in fear of the deadly return of the virus. Here is a timeline of the most important events since the start of the pandemic.
2020
March 23: First quarantine announced.
After the cobra encounter, Boris Johnson is urging people to stay at home and only go there once a day for important reasons, including grocery shopping and exercise. He describes Covid-19 as “the biggest threat this country has faced in decades” and urges the public to stay home and support the NHS.
May 10: quarantine lifted
As the weather warms up, Mr Johnson is starting to loosen the rules, saying people are now allowed to sunbathe in parks and play outdoor sports more than once a day.
June 1: First students return to school.
1st and 6th grade home children are allowed to return to class for the first time in three months.
4 July: Pubs, saloons and shops open.
Crowds of people flock to pubs to drink over cut shutters and book hotels as lockdown restrictions ease in England. Holidays in an initial list of 73 countries known as “road corridor” destinations will be allowed, although mask-wearing on flights, rapid flow testing and social distancing on planes remain mandatory.
October 12: Implementation of the system at the regional level
Different regions are classified into different tiers with higher or lower restrictions depending on the severity of outbreaks in each region. The goal is to avoid a second national lockdown, but the system has been criticized for being unenforceable and confusing. Liverpool City is the only area that is on the top, third row, which prohibits people from gathering indoors.
November 5: National circuit breaker lockout begins.
In late October, Mr Johnson announced a four-week nationwide “circuit breaker” lockdown to try to stop the new spread of Covid. He is also announcing changes to pubs, restaurants and “non-essential” shops, forcing them to close again.
December 2: Another leveling system.
Due to the absence of most Christmas Eve celebrations, the Prime Minister brings back the tiered system and adds more territories to the third tier. A fourth stage will be added later this month as the new variant of Covid-19 spreads rapidly across the South East and London.
December 19: Christmas cancelled.
On Cromwell’s principle, Mr. Johnson is effectively canceling Christmas as the new version spreads throughout the southeast. The Christmas bubbles – the group of people you were allowed to have close physical contact with – burst when 18 million people were ordered to socially isolate for the holiday season. Everyone else is invited to spend only one day with their family instead of the originally suggested five days.
December 30: Most of the country has moved to the fourth level.
Nearly 80 per cent of the population is in stage four as the new variant spreads far beyond the South East, with lockdown measures reintroduced across much of England.
2021
January 4: Third nationwide quarantine begins.
Schools will have to close again, as will pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops as people are once again ordered to stay at home.
February 15: quarantined at the hotel.
Despite national lockdowns, travel abroad to some countries is still allowed, although regulations are being tightened. Anyone traveling to the UK from a travel ban country must self-quarantine for 10 days at a government-approved facility.
March 8: opening of schools
The Prime Minister is starting to plan a roadmap for the country to emerge from lockdown, with the priority being getting children back to school.
April 21: More shopping, gyms and outdoor dining.
In the second phase of the roadmap, retail businesses classified as “non-essential”, including hairdressers and gyms, will be allowed to reopen along with outdoor catering businesses.
May 17: Meetings become easier – and travel
Up to 30 people can meet outside, with the rule of six returning indoors. Pubs and restaurants will reopen indoors, and sports stadiums can accommodate up to 10,000 ticket holders. International travel will reopen according to the traffic light system, with countries placed on green, orange and red lists based on their Covid levels.
June 14 Omicron interferes
The fourth phase of the easing roadmap, scheduled for June 21, has been delayed by four weeks to allow more people to get the vaccine as the Omicron variant causes a spike in new cases and becomes the dominant strain.
19 July: Most remaining restrictions lifted.
Nightclubs are allowed to reopen as cases subside and then level off and the national vaccination program has the desired effect.
Dec 8: Switch to plan B, masks are back
By winter, the waterfalls will begin to grow again. Further measures, including mandatory mask-wearing indoors, including cinemas, theaters and museums, will be announced once Omicron goes into effect.
Dec 15: Covid passport in England.
England is following Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to introduce the Covid Pass, which requires adults to share vaccination or test results in order to enter event venues.
2022
Jan 18: Back to Plan A when Omicron runs out.
In the new year, the prime minister announces plans to end self-isolation requirements by March 24 as cases of Omicron have declined.
February 24th: time to live with the virus
All restrictions and measures will be lifted at the end of February as the government focuses its efforts on promoting the strategy of “living with the virus” and encouraging people to return to a semblance of normality.
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.