Have we taken a big step back in the fight against Covid-19? - what our readers thought

People in England should now work from home if they can and pubs, bars and restaurants must close at 10pm from Thursday.

In light of these new restrictions, we asked you on Facebook and Twitter if you felt the country was taking a big step back in its fight against Covid-19.

Here’s what some of you told us …

Andrea Kerry said: “No, let’s just get on with it. Pubs used to close at 10pm many moons ago so why not now? It won’t bother me. And I work from home three weeks out of four anyway so again, it won’t bother me.”

Said David Booth: “It isn't the Government’s fault that people are too ignorant to heed advice or find out for themselves what a virus is and how it behaves. There are at the moment two types of the virus in circulation, Type S, said to be the milder version, and TUPE L, a more aggressive form.

"The more people that ignore guidelines and become infected the more chance the virus has to mutate into a more deadly form. What will it take before people start to take notice?"

Carly Jamie was worried about the pub curfew. “Shutting pubs at 10pm is only going to make people go back to each other’s houses to carry on drinking,” she said.

Sandra Staniland told us: “I think we’ve been let down. I can’t see anything getting better this year. I for one will delete 2020 out of my head.

Chris Lowe said on Facebook: “I personally think the virus will be with us forever and we'll just have to live with it.”

On Twitter, Stentons felt the recent measures were necessary. “If people hadn't been such idiots over the last few weeks and months and actually followed the guidance, then it might not have come to this,” he said.

Said littlemisstrouble: “Pubs used to shut at 3pm and 10:30pm, and 2pm and 10pm on Sunday’s. We still managed to have a social life. We have to adapt and make the most of what we have.”

Whereas The Shoreham View had a different opinion. He told us: “It’s a joke. This has to stop now. Shield the vulnerable until a vaccine is sorted but the rest of us need to get on with our lives.”