Opinion / Christophe cermak

Keep cool

Those of us in the UK live in a strange bubble. As much of Europe mulls over new restrictions, and my home country Austria begins a 20-day lockdown today, life in London continues pretty much normally. There are few masks, vaccination remains largely optional (but there is heavy use) and no movement restrictions. The mood still remains tense: A slight increase in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations is likely to make any society nervous.

Are we right? Or should we follow Europe into containment? In March of last year, the answer seemed obvious: the UK had reacted far too slowly to the first wave of infections. But this time I’m not so sure. Of note, even someone like Chris Smith, a British virologist and Monocle’s still sensitive health and science correspondent, told me that the UK needs to keep its cool and not be dragged into a another set of restrictions. Countries should focus more on the consequences than the total number of cases, as the consequences of coronavirus contamination for most people vaccinated remain minor. On the other hand, says Smith, focusing only on the coronavirus at this point ignores the many other infections and respiratory illnesses that have piled up as we prioritize the pandemic.

Perhaps more importantly, with readily available vaccines, we have essentially reached a phase where the virus is endemic. “We’re going to have to get used to living like this,” Smith told me. It means finding a long-term strategy, not a short-term one. It also suggests that there should be a laser-like focus on increasing the number of vaccinations rather than locking down entire societies. Given this, it is striking that Austria experimented with a lockdown for the unvaccinated for less than five days before announcing a lockdown for everyone. Protesters, like those in the Netherlands this weekend, can’t play both ways – if you don’t agree to the vaccine, you can’t complain about the lockdowns that follow. At the end of the day, it’s about fairness. There are those in Austria who will continue to protest against vaccine requirements (on the picture), who argue that they should have a choice and not be forced to do something they don’t want to do. But the same principle surely applies to the rest of us, who otherwise have no choice but to be forced back into our homes.