Wales will officially go into a two-week ‘firebreak’ lockdown at 6pm on Friday 23 October. The goal is to contain recent spikes in coronavirus cases in the country and prevent the NHS from becoming overwhelmed over the coming weeks.
Here’s what the Wales firebreak lockdown could mean for the rest of the UK.
What’s a firebreak lockdown?
A firebreak lockdown, also known as a circuit breaker lockdown, is a mini lockdown usually lasting two weeks. It’s designed to deliver a short, sharp shock to the chain of coronavirus virus transmissions.
The main idea is to slow down transmissions by limiting social contact, while also limiting damage to the economy.
Under the Wales firebreak lockdown:
- Everyone will be required to stay and work at home with the exception of critical workers and those in jobs where working from home is not possible.
- There is a ban on different households mixing (two households can, however, form a support bubble).
- All non-essential shops, hospitality businesses (such as cafes, restaurants and pubs – unless they provide delivery and take away services), leisure centres and tourism facilities will be closed.
- Community centres, libraries and places of worship will also shut.
How are other parts of the UK dealing with the coronavirus?
Northern Ireland is already under its own firebreak lockdown, which commenced on 16 October. The lockdown is intended to last four weeks.
People have been told to avoid social contact with those outside their household or support bubble, stay and work at home where possible and limit travel. Like Wales, bars, pubs, and other non-essential shops and service centres have been closed.
England, on the other hand, is currently under a three-tier coronavirus restrictions system. Different parts of the country have been placed into different alert levels (medium, high and very high), with each having its own set of restrictions.
In Scotland, the local government has announced that it’s planning to implement a new five-tier lockdown system on Monday 2 November.
Could we see firebreak lockdowns in other parts of the UK?
No one knows if any of the approaches in the UK will be effective in slowing the rate of infection.
The reality is that infection rates are still rising. In England, we are seeing more regions moving to the very high alert level (tier 3). But it’s too early to judge or dismiss the tiered system given that it has only been in action for just over a week.
Still, a firebreak lockdown like the one in Wales or Northern Ireland might not be the worst idea. Countries like New Zealand and Singapore have already tried this approach with some success.
The majority of the firebreak lockdown restrictions are aimed at limiting non-essential mixing and socialising in indoor settings. We already know that most coronavirus transmissions are because of close contact with infected persons, the risk of which increases in indoor settings. So it makes sense to have restrictions targeting indoor environments.
A firebreak might be just what other parts of the UK need to stop coronavirus in its tracks, or at least interrupt the flow of transmissions and give governments time to come up with better long-term plans.
Speculation is already mounting that the implementation of a firebreak lockdown in England is imminent. Nothing is certain, however, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
In Scotland, it’s less likely that there will be a firebreak lockdown given that the government is planning an entirely different approach to tackling rising cases.
How can you prepare for a firebreak lockdown?
Worried about how a potential firebreak lockdown (or even a full lockdown) might affect your personal finances? Here are a few actions you can take to prepare.
Set up an emergency fund
Most people do not have an emergency fund. So when something unexpected like the coronavirus outbreak happens, most are caught unprepared and financially vulnerable.
You can avoid this by cutting down spending and putting away as much as you can to build an emergency fund to cover you should things get worse.
Create or find an extra source of income
Most of us depend on a single source of income either from a job or a business. Unfortunately, because of coronavirus, we are seeing some businesses shutting down for weeks and many people losing their jobs.
During these times of uncertainty, it’s more than useful to have an extra source of income. Start by checking out our list of side hustles you can do from home.
Spruce up your credit
Now might be a great time to spruce up your credit. For example, if you’ve got a credit card that you’re currently paying off, consider transferring the debt to a 0% balance transfer card to give yourself more time to pay it off without accruing more interest.
