State of the nation – how will businesses get back on track

So with another new “roadmap” we have no clear idea yet of then end to all this lockdown and the interruption in businesses across the world.

Anyone who follows what I have written in the past may know that I live under the Heathrow flightpath and that I am very much behind the expansion of Heathrow. Whilst its interesting to see the clear skys there has been an increase in flights over the last week – much like the increase in road traffic.

So how can social distancing work on plane travel – indeed any public travel systems? I think its a case of the government having a good idea without any notion of the impact on the ground of these suggestions. There was a great article from the head guy at Heathrow who suggested that to check in a 747 the line would be one mile long outside the terminal when you put in the two metre rule... hardly something that sounds workable. What airline would run a plane that has loads of empty seats just so people sit away from each other? I'd be the first to use my extra seats to stretch out on and sleep... now we are not two meters away from each other but would anyone care with the extra room allowed... but thats just another unworkable situation. I Asia they dealt with SARS by checking everyones temperature upon entering the airport, wearing gloves and masks. If people want to travel I think this is what most of us would find acceptable and easily achievable.

Now I hear that the Heathrow expansion is in doubt because the drop in demand will mean its not needed for ten years.... this is precisely the time to get it under way, spending on a big infrastructure project and something that will take ten years to complete – thus arriving just in time! Surely a win win situation and something that will give local businesses a welcome helping hand.

Keeping us all locked up will probably not save the country any further, the people who need to self isolate should continue to do so but the rest should now start to get back to our normal lives and deal with Covid as a “normal” disease where people will get it and some will die but about 98% will suffer a bit and recover. Is the lockdown "punishment" worse than the crime?