London in Lockdown

I am often asked what the situation is like in London with Corona. Do you notice anything about it? Actually, sometimes more and sometimes less. There have been restrictions since I arrived here, but it wasn't as present back then as it is now.

In November, the government decided to put London in a partial lockdown to improve the numbers for Christmas. The partial lockdown meant that pubs, restaurants, and non-essential shops were closed. These regulations were in place from early November until early December. After that, everything reopened normally.

The government has now decided to introduce a Christmas rule for the whole of Great Britain. This meant that from the 23rd to the 27th of December, three different households were allowed to form a Christmas bubble. It didn't matter where in Great Britain the three households came from. So my plan was set for Christmas. I'm not going home, but spending Christmas in Scotland with a friend's family. I was excited and looking forward to a traditional Scottish Christmas. But as it turned out, I should soon forget this idea.

A week ago, the government slowly started to backtrack. It was said that for Christmas, please only meet for one day and without overnight stays, so the plan with Scotland was history.

After all the back and forth, on Sunday I considered whether I still wanted to fly to Germany at short notice. Flights were still available and cheaper than expected. But since it has been announced that travel between Germany and Great Britain is no longer possible, I am glad to be here. Because who knows if the travel ban will really only last until January 6th, or if it will last longer?

Due to a Corona mutation, London is now back in lockdown and has been classified as Tier 4. In Great Britain, the Corona phases are classified into so-called tiers.

Tier 1 - Medium alert

Tier 2 - High alert

Tier 3 - Very high alert

Tier 4 - Stay at home

As far as I understand, this means that we should all stay at home as much as possible. Shops are closed, except for grocery stores and pharmacies. Everyone is asked to work from home, unless it's not possible. Within a household, you are not allowed to meet with other households, and outside you are only allowed to meet with one other person from a different household.

Nevertheless, I try to enjoy my holidays, even though I can't visit museums or the London city center as planned. So far, I have enjoyed my free time by resting, sleeping, and watching movies. I have talked a lot on the phone and met up with friends online for game nights. I am grateful for all the people who have been there for me, thought of me, and cheered me up in difficult moments. Now I am somehow looking forward to Christmas. It will definitely be different, but certainly still beautiful and a Christmas that I will probably always remember.