Impact on daily life

UK 30^th March
Welcome to the end of Covid….. or maybe not.  On Monday, young people were out celebrating in Nottingham.  Hundreds gathered in one of the parks.  Drinking and ignoring the “rules” about social distance and most without masks.  (see photos).  The Health experts warned against exactly this behaviour.  Scotland will lift restrictions on Friday and people will be able to travel around more.  We just hope that sunny weather does not make people go crazy.
Child poverty is increasing.  There are now more than 1.6 million children who have free school meals.  This has been increasing since the start of covid.  It is much worse in the North East where more than a quarter of children have free school meals.  In the South east, less than one sixth of children have free meals.  If parents are on benefits, then children can have the free meals.  This means that many more adults are out of work and receiving benefits.
In UK, the latest figures for deaths from Covid are over 150 thousand – that is more than the Government announces – but the figures are from the death certificates.  Scientists now say that we will need a new vaccine by next year (only 9 months away) because there will be new versions of Covid.  This will develop in countries where people do not have the vaccine.  Scientists say we have to give vaccine to everyone in the world not just the rich countries.
Watch your waistline!  Reports from shops say that people in UK have spent millions on Easter treats like chocolate eggs and hot cross buns.  It is the granny effect … because they have not seen their grandchildren for months, they will be able to meet up at Easter – they just have to buy them eggs!  This year, so far, people have spent £153 million on Easter eggs.  Don’t eat them all at once!
Remember from today, DeafStation will be on holiday for Easter.  We will be back on 12^th April with high quality news.