Is this lockdown going to be enough?

The argument is there for tougher rules to get out of this sooner.

Today the UK goes into lockdown for 4 weeks. The doubts remain; will these measures be enough to “squash the sombrero” as our Prime Minister once put it. It remains to be seen.

At a closer glance these measures aren’t as harsh as our first national shutdown. National Trust parks and grounds stay open, cafes are doing takeaway, you can socialise with one person outside your household, schools remain open, go to work if you can, etc etc.

I sincerely hope we can keep as much of this as possible, seeing one person outside at a distance poses no risk and you’re responsible and does wonders for mental health. Recreation and parks are equally good for exercise and fresh air if people abide by the guidance. However, I have the sinking feeling of Deja Vu; of the govt always not doing quite enough, coming to regret it, and prolonging the pain for everyone else in the process.

The big worries continue to be keeping schools open. It’s clearly too late for that, the govt needs to own its mistakes and shut it down. Absolutely key to this is people cooperating, and being incentivised to cooperate. People will only stay home if you make it financially viable. The govt can’t sit in its ivory towers ignoring the fact people can’t afford to stop working.

Every possible international lesson tells us unless we want to be a hardcore aggressively authoritarian state, we have to use lots of carrot and less of the stick. Our systems of law enforcement aren’t cut out for forcing an unwilling population; this has to be done by consent, and that can only work if we PAY people to stay home if infected, if we incentivise following the rules with generous packages of support, not shame and penalise those who break the rules in the name of putting food on the table.

Let’s hope this works.