UK coronavirus lockdown: What impact have restrictions had on health, family life, work and economy so far?

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The Government has made clear that restrictions are unlikely to be lifted soon, with one scientific adviser suggesting they could remain for “several more weeks”.

Professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College told BBC Radio 4 on Friday morning that while the measures appear to be working better than expected, coronavirus case numbers will need to start dropping steadily before any relaxation of rules can begin.

As the public face a “stay at home” summer, the Standard takes a look at the effect the Covid-19 lockdown has had across key aspects of British life so far.

Community

Since the lockdown began, there has been an outpouring of support for the country’s most vulnerable, as communities unite to help one another through trying times.

A recent Ipsos Mori survey found that 60 per cent of the public have volunteered to assist others, whether by delivering shopping to people self-isolating, or simply ringing up elderly neighbours for a chat.

Rounds of applause have begun to occur every Thursday at 8pm to thank medical staff and other key workers for leading the Covid-19 fight from the front line.

Meanwhile, social media continues to be flooded with new fundraising campaigns to support those in need.

Family

Almost a third of people say they have spent more quality time with their friends and family since the outbreak began, and 36 per cent of over-65s say they have spent more time on video calls, according to market research firm Mintel.

A quarter have engaged in traditional family pastimes such as board games and jigsaws, with puzzle manufacturers reporting an increase in sales of more than 150 per cent.

However, parents have raised concerns about the long-lasting effects of the lockdown on their children, who are unable to attend lessons or see their friends.

Almost half said they worry about helping youngsters with school work, and about having sufficient food supplies.

Health and well-being

The number of people taking part in home workouts has gone up by 26 per cent, including yoga and online classes led by the likes of “body coach” Joe Wicks, whose first PE at home video was watched live by more than 800,000 households.

However, lockdown stress is also taking its toll. More than a third of people surveyed by Ipsos Mori said they are sleeping less well and eating more food or less healthy food than normal.

Some 19 per cent also admitted drinking more alcohol at home, following the closure of pubs and bars.

There are also worrying signs for mental health – the day after the full lockdown was announced, a study by Sheffield and Ulster Universities found that 38 per cent of participants reported significant depression and 36 per cent reported significant anxiety.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) also warned that the number of people of working age suffering from poor mental health could rise by half a million owing to the economic fallout.

Money

As the lockdown continues, the negative effects on the economy become more profound and experts warn that the pandemic could lead to a steeper recession in the UK than the 2008 financial crisis – with double-digit declines in gross domestic product (GDP).

It has been suggested that allowing people aged between 20 and 30 to return to work may reduce the economic damage.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that this would allow 4.2 million young adults to start working again and begin stimulating economic growth.

More positively, almost nine out of 10 people say they are currently saving money by not doing their usual social activities – with millennials benefiting most financially from lockdown and saving an average of £70.35 per week.

Finder.com estimates that Britons have already saved a total of £13.8 billion since the start of the lockdown three weeks ago.

Supermarkets

Supermarkets have introduced robust measures to help keep staff and customers safe, with some allocating “golden hours” to emergency workers and the elderly, and installing protective screens between checkout assistants and customers.

Others such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco have laid clear two metre markings on shop floors and outside buildings, and most now limit the amount of items that an individual can buy both in store and online.

Independent grocery stores have experienced an unexpected renaissance, benefiting from the often empty shelves and tales of month-long waiting lists for deliveries from major supermarket chains.

Travel

The travel industry has been almost paralysed by the lockdown, with thousands of planes grounded, trains and coaches suspending routes, and a rapid drop in the use of buses and local rail travel.

However, one of the benefits of this has been a rapid increase in air quality in cities as cars and other vehicles sit idle.

Air traffic in the UK is down by almost 90 per cent compared to the same time last year, according to the National Air Traffic Service (Nats).

London Underground lockdown during Coronavirus

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Work and business

A proliferation of video conferencing apps like Zoom and Skype has made remote working much more efficient and reliable, which may result in some workers opting to work from home even after lockdown has ended.

The new tech could also make the workplace more accessible to those previously shut out, such as the less able-bodied.

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