Lockdown will remain intact until jabs are administered far and wide - with government ministers repeatedly emphasising that the vaccine is our ticket out of here.
The development of vaccines at the tail-end of last year had injected some much-needed hope for the future, with many anticipating and expecting some brighter months ahead.
But any NYE good cheer was dampened quickly, with soaring cases forcing England to re-enter hibernation on January 4 to relieve pressure on the NHS.
Lockdown will remain intact until jabs are administered far and wide – with government ministers repeatedly emphasising that the vaccine is our ticket out of here.
Progress is good.
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More than 10 million people have received a jab so far, with the government on target to vaccinate the most at-risk people in Britain (care home staff and residents, those aged 70 or over, frontline workers and clinically vulnerable) by February 15.
The latest data has also shown that the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab has a “substantial” effect on transmission, and just a single dose could offer 76% protection three months on.
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Cases, too, are falling – with the rolling 7-day average down from nearly 60,000 positive tests to 21,000 in the space of a month.
Bernard Sharp / Geograph
The major obstacle to the road to normalcy is the emergence of new variants.
A strain found in South Africa is currently causing most concern, with scientists believing it may be more transmissible and slightly more resistant to vaccines (although formulas are in the process of being tweaked to ensure maximum effect).
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In the meantime, the government is focusing on ramping up the rollout with the aim of vaccinating every adult by the end of June, according to The Telegraph.
This optimism is also being shared by certain members of academia, with Professor Andrew Hayward, – expert in infectious disease epidemiology and inclusion health research at University College London – telling The Mirror that things could be looking up by the summer.
He stated: “Once the most vulnerable people, particularly those over-50 and those with chronic illnesses, are vaccinated then yes, I think we can see a significant return to normality.
“I think what we’ll see is a phased opening up as vaccination levels increase. Then we’ll be more or less back to normal for the summer, I would imagine.”
The Bank of England is also predicting the economy to bounce back at speed – claiming that GDP would “recover rapidly” throughout the course of 2021.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock has expressed hopes for a “great British summer”, which have been echoed by Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi.
David Dixon / Geograph
After a pretty torrid winter, the outlook for the UK appears to finally be improving, but there remains a huge question mark as to whether the virus will soon dwindle to tiny numbers like it has in nations such as New Zealand.
Strict border controls are also likely to remain in place for travel to any other nations where COVID variants emerge, and Dr Clare Wenham, assistant professor of global health policy at London School of Economics, said it could be another two or three years until complete normality is restored.
“This pandemic isn’t going to be over until it’s over globally,” she told Sky News.
“We’re still going to be living in some form of restrictions – travel restrictions, border controls – even when we’re vaccinated, until it’s over round the world. So there’s a real imperative to make sure that everybody round the world has at least minimum levels of vaccines at the same time.”
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Prof Helen Rees, who sits on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) committee for Covid-19, agreed that normal life was many months away.
She told the BBC: “I’m afraid to say… I think we are going to be well into next year before we see a change.
“The mask-wearing, the distancing – all of the measures that we have put in place – will have to continue.
“This virus is nasty and this virus knows how to change. If we want to get rid of it, my advice to the politicians is to continue what you are doing – to have these measures.”
Over the course of the next few weeks, it is likely we will begin to see a gradual lifting of lockdown measures across the UK.
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Schools are being tipped to return on March 8 in England – with Scotland already confirming a return for some pupils later this month.
The week of February 22 will bring us the next big update – as Boris Johnson unrolls his roadmap to exiting lockdown and announces what will reopen on which dates; including shops, pubs, gyms and hairdressers.
After this announcement, the fuzzy outlook for the rest of 2021 should come into sharper focus.
It may still involve face coverings and keeping a distance. But also far more freedom.
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A noughties fashion throwback is returning to Manchester and handing out freebies – including tattoos
Danny Jones
Beloved nineties and noughties clothing band Bench is at the beginning of a renaissance, and as they prepare to hand out free samples and even tattoos as part of their ‘Revival Collection’ sale, they’re returning to where it all started: Manchester.
Toasting the Y2K trends that have come back into style, the locally-founded label – started here in our city circa 1989 – is once again looking to make inroads and remind everyone why they were such a cult favourite name to begin with.
Preparing to reinstate its position in the Manc streetwear scene, Bench is set to make its comeback with a massive sample sale right here in Manchester, and there’s plenty of discounted stuff plus complimentary bits up for grabs.
We’re about to dance and dress like it’s 1999.
@bench.official Your first look at our AW25 Revival collection, available exclusively at Bench. Open House at the @Manchester Social this Thursday 6th November 👀 Shop samples old and new (yep, there’s even more available) for exclusive prices at our Manchester city centre sample sale event 💸 #samplesale#manchester♬ original sound – Bench Official
Spread across three whole floors, the ‘Bench Open House’ and Y2K Revival Collection will be on show at The Manchester Social tattoo studio.
Featuring timeless staples like oversized tees, vintage wash and classic turn-of-the-century style denim, big, baggy sweats and low-slung trousers re-designed for a new era.
Promising “extra goodies” from brands like Isovibe and Sunday Rain to the first 50 purchases on the day, you can expect plenty of familiar makes on show.
Being housed at Manchester Social too, the first 25 guests to book in will get a free flash tattoo on the night, courtesy of the studio’s talented fine-line artists; bookings can be made online or over the phone in advance for this directly.
And that’s no way near all there is on offer…
Those coming along can also enjoy retro gaming, nostalgic beats from live DJs supplying ’90s house party vibes, as well as cool photo ops, cocktails from Zubrowka (bison grass vodka brand), Baby Beer shots by Licor 43, plus non-alcoholic rum cocktails from Caleño. Immaculate energy all night long.
We’re personally loving how much late 1990s/early ’00s fashion is doing the rounds again. (Credit: Press shots)
Most importantly of all, the full proceeds from the sale will be donated to the native homeless charity Mustard Tree, which helps support people across the region.
Joanne Reidy, Head of Marketing at Bench’s parent group Apparel Brands, commented: “At Bench, Manchester isn’t just our home, it’s helped shape our identity.
“We’re proud that every sale from the Open House sample sale will go directly to Mustard Tree, supporting their vital work helping people across the city.”
Jack Barton, Head of Communications at the non-profit organisation, added: “We’re incredibly grateful to be the beneficiary of this event. Our mission is to combat poverty and prevent homelessness – it is down to the goodwill of our Greater Manchester partners who make this possible.
The Bench Open House and sample sale event takes place from 6-10pm at Manchester Social (9 South King Street, M2 6DG) this Thursday, 6 November. It’s completely free entry, but those looking to cop one of the selected designs can book in now.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via Bench)
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You can get 25% off your bill when eating out at this well-known Italian restaurant with a secret code
Danny Jones
Fancy going out for tea but still trying not to spend too much money at this time of year? Well, Manchester, you can get 25% off your bill at an already affordable British restaurant chain by simply saying a special phrase.
This deal is only available this week, though, so we wouldn’t wait around.
We’ve all been there: you’re fed up of getting home after working and having to cook, so you start trying to justify ‘just one‘ night out, but it can be a real pull between enjoyment and ease versus trying to save those pennies – especially with the festive period looming.
Luckily, well-known Italian restaurant group Carluccio’s, who have a site right here in central Manchester, is offering a significant discount by simply asking for the bill in Italian. Simple as.
As a recognisable name on the UK high street, the authentic Italian eatery dates back nearly three and a half decades, the London-born deli and food shop going on to open its first-ever sit-down venue called Carluccio’s Caffè back in 1999.
In addition to their long-standing Manchester location in Piccadilly Station, the brand was also a shop-window establishment for the Trafford Centre, sitting front and centre as one of the first places to eat as you walked in the Orient entrance.
Now, as for how you access this welcome bit of money off your bill, it’s very straightforward and can be secured as fast as you can say “The bill, please”; well, actually, you need to ask for it in Italian, as it is this phrase that Carluccio’s has dubbed the ‘secret code’.
Following a study by language learning app, Preply, which recently carried out research into menu anxiety and struggling to make a decision when dining out, they’ve teamed up with Carluccio‘s to help push people to feel more confident ordering dishes not in their native tongue.
They found that almost half (49%) have felt embarrassed about not speaking another language, with one fifth of those surveyed lacking the confidence to try and pronounce foreign words, while one in six worried they’d be judged for getting it wrong.
Well, there’s no getting it wrong in this instance, as the Carluccio’s and Preply are giving you the specific keywords not only to ask for the bill in Italian – “Il conto, per favore” – but to unlock the bonus of a quarter off the final sum.
Anna Pyshna, spokesperson at Preply, says: “People may know how to say gnocchi in theory, but when the waiter’s standing there, confidence can vanish. We want to show that getting things wrong is part of learning and sometimes, even worth a discount.
“By turning a simple phrase into a real-world reward, we’re helping people take that first, brave step to speak up. It’s a reminder that the language learning process doesn’t start with perfection, it starts with the willingness to try.”
So, that really is it: dine at any of their restaurants across the country (including here in Manchester) and ask for the bill in Italian to get 25% off your bill; once again, the offer is only on until 9 November. You can find your nearest Carluccio’s location HERE.
The Manc -
5th February 2021 
