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More rain, more sleet today – but hopefully the prospect of it drying up by Sunday. Oh to have some summer sunshine and heat! Summer sunshine and heat seem to be focussing the minds of politicians and commentators at the minute. As the vaccination programme rolls out there are increasing calls for easing of restrictions, and predictions of life being ‘back to normal’ by the summer (haven’t we heard that somewhere before?). We are all fed up with lockdown restrictions, we want children back in schools, and students at college or university, we want leisure and hospitality re-opened (for the good of owners/ staff and users), we want to be able to travel freely, we want to have folk back in our houses, to be able to give hugs etc. But are there other factors like variants of the virus, uncertainty over the length of time that vaccination provides immunity or prevents transmission, that may make governments cautious about lifting all restrictions (maybe especially come next Autumn/Winter)? We want good news, but we also want honesty and open debate
Lord, coping with lockdown on cold wet days is really hard. Help us to get through it, and support each other through it. Inspire those who make the decisions about public life, and those who seek to influence the opinions of others, to be careful when talking about hopes and challenges, things that are clear and things that are not clear
