The nation is finally emerging to enjoy social activities – albeit carefully distanced and masked – which are bringing a welcome sense of ‘normal’ back to all our lives.
So we thought we’d ask the people of Sunderland how safe they feel, now the lockdown is lifting and a ‘new normal’ is returning. Reporter Xeni Sempitrakou went out and about.
SUNDERLAND people seem to be mixed feelings over of how safe they feel to socially interacting with people, now the lockdown rules are relaxing.
On April 12 businesses and venues were reopened, and masses of people went out to have drinks or dine out, get haircuts, or finally get back into the thousands of gyms, salons, pubs and retail stores whose doors also reopened.
Isabel Watts, 24, is the Students’ Union equality and diversity officer at University of Sunderland…
Kate and Emily, 16 and 17 respectively, from Sunderland go to college and study Art in Newcastle. They feel relieved, in a way, that life is starting to get back to normal and both said they feel slightly safer going out and interacting with people now there is a vaccination program running…
Zack Parker, aged 20, a pharmacy technician at Sunderland Royal Hospital, lives in Seaham, and believes the virus crisis has not yet reached the stage where the Government should start easing the lockdown…
Peter, 63, from Sunderland, is a retired lecturer and felt many Covid deaths could have been avoided, but said he is not that scared of the virus if there are precautions in place…
Mark, 57, lives in Sunderland and works in manufacturing. He doubted the official numbers of Covid-19 deaths, but was frustrated with people acting socially irresponsible and neglecting to follow the Government’s guidance…
Shaun Ball, aged 22, from Sunderland, is a college lecturer, and said he thinks everyone has been following the rules, and he feels considerably safer and happy that the lockdown is almost over…