Six weeks in and it appears lockdown fatigue is starting to set in.
When I go out for my daily Sturgeon-sanctioned stomp, there does appear to be more people around the streets, more cars on the road around Stonehaven.
And my missus, who as a key worker still treks into Aberdeen every day, says it’s even more obvious in parts of the city.
All of that plus banner-waving numpties at the Castlegate.
You know what. I feel it too. That yearning for restrictions to be lifted.
I spent last week on a holiday where I could only safely venture as far as I could walk. (I have now visited all four castle sites around the town and made some interesting discoveries. I never knew you got lizards in Scotland).
https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/opinion/scottbegbie/sweet-surrender-to-chocolate-cravings/
But I would much rather have been in, say, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or London. Even a bit of beach action.
And it’s not even as if I could nip out for a cheeky pint with my mates – although I did paste the Marine on to a Zoom backdrop for a bit of nostalgia.
And I would do almost anything for the chance to be back in the stalls of His Majesty’s watching a bit of escapist musical theatre.
Almost anything. But I’m not so desperate as I’d be willing to put lives at risk.
Not so anxious that I’m happy to be that guy who helps put unbearable pressure on the NHS, puts health workers in harm’s way needlessly.
I don’t like the lockdown, but I understand why it’s there.
What I’m not so clear about is the growing mood music that seems to be coming from Number 10 that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Past the peak doesn’t mean past the worst. Growing talk of ending the lockdown isn’t translating into slowly, carefully over time and with little chance of life being normal anytime soon.
That message isn’t coming out of Downing Street clearly enough. Instead there’s an air of “it will all be over by June”. It won’t.
https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/opinion/scottbegbie/im-doing-my-bit-and-its-no-small-beer/
Covid-19 is still out there waiting for us all – some experts are warning of a second wave. Wishful thinking in Westminster won’t make it disappear.
Far better is the cautious, measured and uber-careful approach we are hearing from the Scottish Government.
Clearly, on an island, there needs to be a joined-up approach to stopping a disease that doesn’t recognise borders.
But if, at some point, the measures to stop Covid-19 go on different paths between Westminster and Holyrood, I know which one I’ll be taking.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
