Health & Lifestyle

Proof Britain has gone completely bonkers? Poll claims a FIFTH of adults would support reintroduction of Covid lockdown right now… even though worst of pandemic is over

  • A fifth would back the Government to bring back lockdown right now, poll shows
  • The same proportion would support closing pubs and restaurants, results reveal 

One in five Britons would support the reintroduction of a Covid lockdown right now – even though the worst of the pandemic is over.

Shock polling data of 2,000 adults revealed a fifth would back the Government if it ordered people to only leave their home for essential shopping, an hour of exercise and work.

This is similar to what happened during Britain’s full-blown lockdown. During the darkest days of the pandemic, Brits were threatened with £200 fines if caught flouting the stay-at-home order.

Experts told MailOnline the results were ‘upsetting’, saying it demonstrated the effectiveness of ‘project fear’.

Ministers believed such restrictions were needed to stop NHS hospitals from being overwhelmed.

But experts insist brutal curbs — proven to have devastated the economy and crippled the health service — are no longer needed thanks to the UK’s wall of immunity.

Vaccines and repeated waves of infection mean the virus circulating nowadays resembles something closer to the flu, as opposed to the killer illness that sparked panic when it emerged in China towards the end of 2019. 

The new survey, carried out by research group More in Common, shows a fifth of Brits would also support any Government decision to force pubs and restaurants to shut again.

Hospitality was shut down for months at a time during the Covid crisis and a tenth of the entire sector has permanently closed since March 2020.

Around four in ten would also back requirements to wear masks on public transport, the survey revealed.

Nearly half of Gen X (aged 41 to 55), Boomers (aged 56 to 74) and the Silent Gen (over-75s), backed this measure. Gen Z (aged 18 to 24) were least likely to back it, at 41 per cent.

Millennials — people aged 25 to 40 — were most likely to support a lockdown (28 per cent), while the over-75s were least likely to back it (14 per cent).

There were also patterns of support between different parts of the country.

Those from London and the North East who took part in the survey were least likely to oppose Covid restrictions being brought in right now.

At the other end of the scale, the East Midlands and South West were least likely to accept them being imposed. 

The results are based on responses from 2,033 people in Britain who were quizzed between November 30 and December 4.

They were asked whether they would support or oppose the Government bringing back Covid restrictions ‘at the current time’. 

Health chiefs have warned of high demands on the NHS due to typical winter pressures, including seasonal bugs, staff absences and demand on A&E.

Fresh strikes by junior doctors, who are demanding more pay, are set to further stretch the health service. 

However, Covid is causing a fraction of admissions compared with previous years. 

Just 2,064 infected patients were admitted to hospitals in England in the week to December 1. For comparison, the figure for the same week stood at 3,936 in 2022, 4,624 in 2021 and 8,614 in 2020.

Experts have warned that a fresh wave could be triggered by a new variant, called JN.1, which has taken off in the UK and has mutations that help it dodge protection from vaccines and previous infections. However, scientists have also warned that fresh waves of infection are to be expected.

Ed Hodgson, an associate at More in Common, told MailOnline: ‘While most of the public clearly do not support the reintroduction of the most restrictive Covid measures, there are significant minorities who do. 

‘While many people in the UK have many negative memories from lockdown, we also consistently find groups of people in our focus groups who look back at the time nostalgically – enjoying either the slower pace of life that came with lockdown, or the time it gave them to spend with their family or focus on personal projects…

However, Covid is causing a fraction of admissions compared to previous years. Just 2,064 infected patients were admitted to hospitals in England in the week to December 1. For comparison, the figure for the same week stood at 3,936 in 2022, 4,624 in 2021 and 8,614 in 2020 (shown in graphic)

However, Covid is causing a fraction of admissions compared to previous years. Just 2,064 infected patients were admitted to hospitals in England in the week to December 1. For comparison, the figure for the same week stood at 3,936 in 2022, 4,624 in 2021 and 8,614 in 2020 (shown in graphic)

Support was strongest for wearing masks on public transport, with 45 per cent saying they would support the Government ordering people to don a face covering. Nearly half of Gen X (aged 41 to 55), Boomers (aged 56 to 74) and the Silent Gen (over-75s), backed this measure. Gen Z were least likely to back it (41 per cent)

Support was strongest for wearing masks on public transport, with 45 per cent saying they would support the Government ordering people to don a face covering. Nearly half of Gen X (aged 41 to 55), Boomers (aged 56 to 74) and the Silent Gen (over-75s), backed this measure. Gen Z were least likely to back it (41 per cent)

Poll results show that the breakdown was the same for closing pubs and restaurants (20 per cent support vs 72 per cent opposed), with backing highest among millennials and Gen Z — who are aged 18 to 24 — and lowest among older Brits

Poll results show that the breakdown was the same for closing pubs and restaurants (20 per cent support vs 72 per cent opposed), with backing highest among millennials and Gen Z — who are aged 18 to 24 — and lowest among older Brits

‘That said, it should be stressed support for these measures in the abstract doesn’t always translate into support in real life when the impacts of such policies become clearer. 

‘What the polling does show is that some members of the public are surprisingly receptive to more heavy-handed intervention.’

Professor Keith Willison, a vocal Covid commentator and chair of chemical biology at Imperial College London, told MailOnline: ‘It is upsetting that 20 per cent of UK adults feel this way about reintroducing lockdown restrictions.

‘It demonstrates the effectiveness of “project fear” which was initiated four years ago now, and I am not surprised unfortunately. 

‘It is going to take many years to recover from the lockdown disaster. 

‘Lockdown irrevocably changed our work patterns, our trust in medical experts and many other aspects of our society and wellbeing. 

‘”Project fear” also helped drive the emergence of the working from home lifestyle, which many office-based workers now embrace.

‘It would be interesting to know if such people are over-represented in the 20 per cent calling for a return to restrictions.’

A quarter (23 per cent) of people said they would support rules that would only let people meet others outdoors and in groups of up to six. 

This restriction was most popular among Millennials (29 per cent) and least popular among the over-75s (18 per cent). 


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