Covid: Indian variant travel advice change sows confusion

Kirklees is one of eight areas in England hit by the Indian variant

If you speak to people in one of the eight areas worst-hit by the Indian coronavirus variant you'll probably hear the words "confused" and "frustrated". The government published, and then amended, travel advice for those in the areas of concern after it was accused of introducing "local lockdowns by stealth". The BBC has been speaking to people in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, about the effect of these apparent mixed messages.

In an attempt to bring down the spread of the Indian variant of Covid, the government told residents they should "avoid" travel in and out of the eight worst-affected areas.

This initial advice, published with little fanfare last Friday, was updated days later to say such travel should be "minimised", along with a reminder to meet outdoors and stay 2m (6ft 6in) apart from anyone in other households where possible.

The space between the initial advice and its follow-up was short, but three people from Kirklees have told the BBC the gap was big enough to have an effect on them.

'It's just chaos'

Cheryl Burns runs a cafe in Huddersfield and a holiday cottage in Holmfirth, and says the initial advice was "devastating".

She had opened her holiday cottage in April, and greeted her first indoor customers at the cafe just a week ago.

"For then this to come out and nobody knew. It's just chaos. It just felt it was all being snatched back," she says.

Cheryl Burns said hospitality businesses were getting cancellations due to the confusion over the advice

She says she is relieved that the advice has been updated, but "the damage is already done".

"I've spoken to friends in hospitality and they have already had cancellations and had to refund people," she says.

She said the industry had already been hit hard and fears confusion over the official advice will cause people to hesitate in visiting.

"Although they have clarified it, it sets doubts in people's minds. What we don't need is people being jumpy."

'Unnecessary confusion'

Jonathan Hughes, 58, has terminal cancer.

He lives in Gomersal and had been planning to go to Edinburgh on 1 June to visit his son.

The hotel they had planned to stay at had a seven-day cancellation policy which meant they had little choice but to cancel on Tuesday, he says.

"We felt rather bounced into a position we didn't want to be in.

"We'd spent rather a lot as I've a limited time to enjoy myself and we didn't want to lose it."

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• Can I travel in an area affected by the Indian variant?

Jonathan says the confusion was "so unnecessary" and questions why it was posted on the government website on Friday evening.

He says it seems to him that someone was in too much of a hurry for the weekend to think of the consequences.

Jonathan Hughes said they had been "bounced" into a position they did not want to be in

Jonathan says the hotel allowed them to move their booking, and he hopes to still get away on 1 June as planned.

"The room is still available so it may be game on yet," he says.

'It could all change again'

Elizabeth Pannell's son will mark his 1st birthday on 29 May without a big party.

"My son was born during the first lockdown, and the first year of his life has been spent in isolation with me and his dad," says the 30-year-old, from Cleckheaton.

She has decided not to hold a party because of concerns about Covid, despite friends and family asking if she was.

"I was very cautious, holding off planning anything. So when it all blew up at the start of the week I felt vindicated. Now it's all changed."

Elizabeth Pannell thinks local restrictions are not the answer

Elizabeth says she would not have rearranged a party even if she had organised one.

"I think I would have just left it, the government don't know what page they are on themselves and it could all change again in a couple of days.

"Locking towns down is not the way to go, I think. It's about test and trace and getting people vaccinated."

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