Boris Johnson has announced the end of all Covid laws in England, including the end of mandatory self-isolation from Thursday, Covid sick pay from March 24, and free testing from April 1.
The news has, unsurprisingly, divided opinion, with some celebrating the end of all “restrictions”, while others are anxious about the impact this will have, particularly on those most vulnerable to coronavirus.
But a public health doctor has questioned the language many of us have been using on the topic, highlighting that the use of the word “restrictions” itself may have contributed to these polarising views.
Dr Nisreen Alwan, an associate professor in public health at the University of Southampton, thinks we should replace the word “restrictions” with more positive phrases.
On Twitter, she urged the public to use phrases such as “public health measures”, “preventative measures” or “protections” when referring to testing, masks, ventilation and self-isolation.
We could also reframe our thinking of these measures to see them as “mitigations to help us avoid major restrictions and closures”.
“Do we call seatbelts or no drink driving restrictions?” she asked.
Dr Alwan has personally has a difficult time during the pandemic. She’s previously spoken to HuffPost UK about juggling her university job with working as a hospital consultant and single-handedly caring for three children.
She also became a leading voice on long Covid, raising awareness around the globe, after suffering symptoms herself.
It seems many agree with her idea of ditching the word “restrictions”. Her tweet has received more than 5,000 likes in under 24 hours and others have shared similar views.
Interestingly, one person tweeted a link to a news report from the 1980s, which showed the same debate occurring with seatbelts.
In the clip, a man tells a reporter a seatbelt is obstructing his “freedom”. Today, the vast majority of people wear them without a second thought.
Perhaps if we adjust our language slightly, we’ll reach the same understanding on Covid measures, too.