It is because we are so social and such a sociable nation that the isolation and restrictions of these last few months have been so difficult for so many.
But we have endured, pulled together, and made sacrifices that have brought us to the point where our society can begin to reopen. So it is our reaction to this next phase of the crisis that will show our true social conscience. What we do matters because it shows who we are, as a people, as a business community, and as individuals.
The scenes from some pubs and their surrounding streets over the weekend portrayed us as a society that puts self-interest ahead of the health and wellbeing of ourselves or our communities.
But we are better than that. And the scenes do not reflect how the vast majority of people have behaved.
We all know what the public health guidelines are. We’ve lived with them for most of 2020. Now we need to make sure we also know how to start socialising safely again. The pubs that choose to reopen know on what terms this relies. Everyone has a part to play, because we’re still in this together.
We may not all be frontline workers, but by respecting public health and the guidelines, we can all be everyday heroes.