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A Christmas Lockdown Isn’t Cause For Complaint
When Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the UK’s return to national lockdown, he reassured the public that such a measure was necessary in order to ensure “as normal a Christmas as possible.”
It’s now looking like the lockdown might have to be extended, potentially infringing on the Prime Minister’s promise of normality. Meanwhile, severe restrictions on gatherings and travel seem likely in parts of Europe and America. In other words, Christmas will be very different this year for those who celebrate it. In-person gatherings, long distance travel, and large events over Christmas have already been ruled out by many governments.
These measures will limit celebrants’ ability to make the most of the holiday season. They will also prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases. These are the kind of perplexing decisions we face in 2020: save Christmas, or save lives?
The potential of lockdown measures in December has already been politicized. In October, Trump claimed that Biden would cancel Christmas if elected President. (Never mind that Biden won’t assume office until January.) This attack was absurd, but predictable. After all, even the most mundane things have been portrayed as attacks on Christmas in recent…
