| Good evening, Just as we are all getting excited about re-opening up the whole of society, along comes something to burst the bubble. The latest variant of the Covid virus is one which is concerning health officials and politicians alike. The Indian variant, which we already know is here in Lancashire, seems to be more transmissible than others and therefore is likely to spread much more easily, particularly as we start to get on with our lives again. Even the Prime Minister is concerned and has hinted that local lockdowns are not out of the question. We have been here before. Back in September when the rest of the country was enjoying its freedoms, we were in Tier 3 and told to stay at home if we could. So if we are to avoid that happening again, we need to be cautious in our approach to next week’s re-opening of restaurants, hotels, play centres and the rest. Yes, many of us have the protection of one or even two vaccinations, but we know it is not 100 per cent effective against any of the variants. So enjoy the new-found freedoms when they come...but be careful. Contact me at gillian.parkinson@jpimedia.co.uk Untill next time, take care Gillian Parkinson Editor Lancashire Post and Associate Editor Blackpool Gazette | 
