Covid-19 has impeded the normal functioning of our lives. It has been an obvious headache of 2020, and the lockdown which was imposed by the novel coronavirus hindered the operation of businesses and major events simultaneously.
The United Kingdom has been one of the major countries affected by Covid-19. The death toll, as well as the number of infected, surpassed 40,000 and 300,000, respectively. Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, also contracted the virus.
A 2m rule which means to distance yourself from another person was also adopted, and it sparked outrage mainly because of the inconvenience it caused. In this article, we will talk about the rule’s impact on Wales businesses and entities.
First of all, universities were the ones affected because they declared it would be hard to attract more students. It should be pointed out that before the outbreak of the coronavirus, more than 18,000 people applied for a university place in Wales, but the pandemic caused a massive downfall in the number of people.
Regulations and the 2m rule are also difficult for businesses because citizens find it hard to distance themselves from others. When it comes to restaurants or other recreational sports, people usually do not pay a lot of attention to distancing, and Wales is particularly known for having a lot of such spaces.
What’s more, it directly affects the economy of the whole United Kingdom and Wales in particular. One of the major industries in the state, the gambling industry, will also suffer because of this rule. Moreover, the Canadian community of Wales, which has long been known to be major customers of casino slots for Canadian players will also have a hard time overcoming the barriers set by the coronavirus. The gambling industry is a field that always has a significant role in the economy, and the 2m rule will be harmful to both Wales and the Canadian community who contribute to the industry in the country.
Easing of restrictions, but nothing on the 2m rule
As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a new phase in the weakening of quarantine will come in force in the UK from July 4.
Johnson said that the rule of social distance would be changed.
From July there will be a “meter plus” rule, in which people are encouraged to keep a distance of two meters, where possible, but if this is not possible, they should stay at least a meter away.
The rule also means that in conditions when it is impossible to maintain a distance of two meters, other measures must be taken, including wearing a face mask in public transport, washing your hands, limiting the time for talking with people and staying in the fresh air.
Johnson made it clear that the government does not recommend meeting residents of several different indoor households. However, in the open space for such meetings, there are no restrictions.
Restaurants and pubs will be open from July 4. Hairdressers, gyms and playgrounds, cinemas, museums, libraries and galleries will also open.
But indoor gyms, pools, spas and bowling alleys will remain closed.
The Prime Minister warned that all measures are “reversible”.
Family gatherings will not be exclusive, for example, one set of grandparents could see their relatives for the weekend, and other grandparents next.
But, unlike the bubble system, people will have to maintain social distance – so family members who live separately will not be able to hug.
Mr Johnson said that people would be encouraged to use “mitigation” – such as face-to-face, rather than sitting face to face – when less than 2m apart.
Businesses will suffer temporarily because of the restrictions in Wales, but there is nothing they can do about that. The coronavirus is a new reality which has already been “embraced” by all the countries across the world. It is likely to stay with us for a long time.
