Easing of restrictions divides the public
We've reached step four of the government's roadmap out of lockdown
Nearly all coronavirus restrictions have been lifted across Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales from today (19th July) but it's brought mixed opinions from members of the public.
People may start to feel like things have gone back to normal as all rules on gatherings have been removed, masks are no longer legally required, social distancing measures have been scrapped and the order to work from home has been lifted.
Business owners are thrilled, but Bonbons Dessert Parlour in Harrogate will still be doing what they can to help customers feel safe.
Amir, the manager, said: We're just going to concentrate on the footfall of people and let people know it's a safe place to eat. It's not all about the money and we need to be keeping people safe.
"It's great but it is going to take time for the public to feel comfortable and for them to realise as a business we've got a lid on it.
"We want customers to feel relaxed but some are going to be worried. Those are the people we can talk to and offer them alternatives so if they want to sit away from someone who isn't wearing a mask that's fine.
"We want people to go home with that good taste in their mouth and the memory that we looked after them here, even when there weren't any restrictions."
Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed to MPs in the House of Commons that Step 4 of the lockdown easing roadmap would happen, saying: “If not now, when?”
“There will never be a perfect time to take this step because we simply cannot eradicate this virus.”
Mr Javid said the Government’s approach was “about balancing the harms that are caused by Covid with the undeniable harms that restrictions bring”.
But that's left over 3 million people worried as they are classed as clinically vulnerable.
They are now faced with the decision of risking going outside or isolating themselves back at home.
Beckie Parker-Smythe from Harrogate is one of those people. She's had Covid before and is afraid she might get it again.
She said: "It does worry me because I never want to be that ill again. I am double vaccinated and I have faith in it but Covid clearly isn't going away. For me and other vulnerable people, going back to normal isn't an option yet.
"The general attitude that I've come across is that people think 'Oh that's your problem'. At the start of all this people were coming together but now it has just completely reversed.
"We have to protect ourselves and that is our responsibility but what about everyone else's responsibility towards those vulnerable people in society as well. It feels like that regard has gone totally out of the window.
"We're the ones that are being penalised for being vulnerable while everyone goes back to their normal lives. What happens to us now? Do we just go into hibernation for the next few years, never to be heard of again?"
Ministers are concerned about the scale of the problem and are examining whether the NHS Covid-19 app could be made less sensitive to reduce the numbers being “pinged”.
Some 1,920 alerts in Harrogate - as well as 520,194 in England - were sent in the seven days to July 7, the highest seven-day total since data was first published in January.
But despite this they concluded that the four tests set for unlocking are being met.
These steps include: the success of the vaccine rollout, evidence that vaccines are causing a reduction in hospital admissions and deaths, that infection rates do not risk a surge in admissions, and that no new variants of concern throw progress off track.
But Professor Chris Whitty said the UK is “not out of the woods yet”, just hours after Boris Johnson declared it was “highly probable” the worst of the pandemic is over.
The figures last Friday (16 July) showed 48,553 more cases, the highest since January 15, while the 63 deaths were the biggest daily reported increase since March 26.