We have lived with COVID-19 for two years, and Omicron is unlikely to be the last variant challenging our economy: so how can we move forward with coronavirus and its variants?
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Successful economies are built on confidence. The government’s decision to take swift action in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant was the right one. The move to Plan B, whilst disappointing businesses, represents a pragmatic and sensible step to curb the virus. But whilst the measures introduced are moderate, the message is rather more severe.
The government is right to act when new data comes to light, but we are concerned that this rhetoric is creating a lockdown mentality when in reality the proposed measures are far short of that. The result is a double whammy to firms who see demand fall without commensurate support. We must beware of unintended consequences to the economy.
The economy should remain open if feasibly safe to do so in the coming weeks. The bar should be high when it comes to introducing any new restrictions on economic activity beyond Plan B. More effort must go into promoting actions alongside the booster campaign that can build confidence an
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