A time to celebrate the success of vaccines in the UK and the return of hospitality to Northern Ireland

It has been so long since people enjoyed the simple pleasures of a pantomime or a rock concert or a play.

Live performances are one of the aspects of normal life that have almost been forgotten.

It is as if we have come to adapt to a world in which crowds do not gather together.

It is uplifting, just after indoor hospitality returned, to learn that Van Morrison will play two concerts at the Ulster Hall in late July — a legendary artist at a legendary NI venue.

Northern Ireland now has the lowest number of Covid cases since last August, when it seemed that a return to normality was close. But the autumn rise in infection levels is a reminder not to be too complacent now.

But even if the virus does begin to re-emerge, there is a serious debate to have as to whether or not a general lockdown is feasible again, unless we see a pandemic far more deadly that the one we have experienced in the last 15 months.

This is not to say that Covid has been anything other than terrible, or the deaths from it anything less than a tragedy.

But it is, rather, to note that the consequences of lockdown have been disastrous for whole swathes of the population — from students, to people suffering from serious non Covid illnesses, to business folk who built up enterprises over a lifetime, only to see them destroyed within weeks.

Meanwhile, most of the population was untouched either by Covid itself or by lockdown, maintaining their income and in many cases working in comfort from homes with gardens and getting pay rises, often funded by the taxpayer.

In fairness to the politicians who decreed a lockdown, they were facing a hideous dilemma and acted on the precautionary principle. But as time has gone on, we have all learned more about coronavirus and how best to respond to it.

In the meantime, this a time for celebration at the success of the UK vaccine programme, and of joy at the gradual return of normal life, particularly for those who work in vital service institutions, such as the now re-opening pubs and hotels.

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor