Ending this phase of the lockdown is easy. Ending it successfully is very difficult.

And ending this phase successfully is not just government’s job. It also relies upon the responsibility of every single individual.

There are obvious conditions precedent for ending the lockdown - the transmission rate of the infection; the number of hospitalisations.

My surmise is that these will be easier to achieve than the logistical challenges of a fit for purpose testing and contact tracing regime.

Naturally, some people want an easy answer. But if people act selfishly (I *should* be fine) then we’ll be back to where we started and possibly worse.

In addition to the vital logistics (and the law), we must find a way of making universal the narrative that if every individual acts responsibly, the situation will be much improved for everyone.

And what do we mean by acting responsibly? The virus relies upon infection. The more people restrict their social activities, the less people will get infected, the less people will be hospitalised, the less people will die.

Much of this will be mandated (eg no pubs or restaurants). But inevitably some of it will be voluntary. Each and every interaction creates a small risk both for you and the people you are with.

Does this mean that no one should see anyone for the duration of the crisis?

Of course not.

But it does mean that whatever the new regime it is the civic and patriotic duty of everyone to curtail their social interactions. /ends