In and around a London lockdown. A Cartoon Diary by Pidge.

 Public spaces became busier to the delight of some: But a return to complete normality had not occurred.

 At last! On July 4 pubs and restaurants were allowed to be open after having  been closed for over three months. Amazingly some were  against such a possibly risky move and campaigned for customers to stay away:

 But there was a potential cost to socialising. People experiencing COVID  symptoms were supposed to inform the authorities of the people that they have been in contact with and they would be asked self isolate for 14 days which seemed to be a heavy price for a pint even after three months of going without:

 The easing of the lockdown in May which permitted the meeting up of only small socially distant groups gave way to laxer observance as groups expanded and distances shrunk and by late June it was common to see larger groups enjoying the ‘take away’ beers that the more enterprising pubs were selling and adherence to the two metre rule was evaporating. 

The lockdown begun on the 20th of March was eased in May so that people in one household were able to meet another as long as social distancing was respected.  The easing of lockdown was accompanied by good weather and people made the most of it.

 By the time the value of R was been judged to reach a level sufficiently safe for lockdown to be eased some became nostalgic for the novel experience through which they had been living and which was about to end for them:

 There was much debate and dithering about reopening the schools including a U-turn by the government. Many had been disappointed by their closure.