FOCUS: Covid-19 Christmas hits families hard

Monday 30 November 2020

Unlike the UK, the Bailiwick Bubble is looking to enjoy a free and easy Christmas this year – but for some, it’s not so simple.

Restaurants here are open, bars will be serving late, families can merrily mingle as much as they want. We’re enjoying a unique position in the midst of a global pandemic.

In the UK, however, Covid-19 shows no sign of easing up despite promises of a future vaccine, and has led to severe roadblocks when travelling to and from the mainland. England has been in a second lockdown since 2 November, and a new tiered system will be installed on the 2 December. It’s pushing severe restrictions on 99% of the country and has had a knock-on effect here.

Many of us have family in the UK, Europe and further afield, and being apart from loved ones during the festive period can be tough, as Alli Thomas knows all too well.

“Both my daughters are pregnant and live in Devon with my granddaughter - I haven't been able to see my family since last year," she said.

Pictured: Alli with her two daughters, Lucy (left) and Jenny (right), and her granddaughter, Phoebe (far right), who is five.

Alli works as a children’s nurse and has worked doubly hard this year to make sure to see her family for Christmas.

“I’ve amalgamated a bit of annual leave and worked a lot of shifts to be able to have time off to see my daughters - but the flight in that window has been cancelled and I simply can’t afford to isolate for two weeks when I return.”

Some people are biting the bullet and leaving anyway, like Elliot Allen and his fiance Jessica Rawlings.

“We’ve been gearing towards this," they told Express. "There have been all these events in the calendar we’ve had to say no to this year, so we’ve kept our eye on the end of the year.”

Pictured: Elliot's family are based in the England, while Jess' are in Guernsey.

In Manchester, only three households can congregate over Christmas under current lockdown proposals. 

“I’m not going to enjoy it the way I usually would," said Elliot. "It’s not going to be my expectations of home. I’ve never seen home under lockdown.”

Billy Etheridge is an Oxford-based chef who has been determined to come home to see his family; however, in the process he ended up isolating for nearly a whole month.

“My housemate tested positive for coronavirus just before I had planned to come home and I had to isolate with him for 12 days. I came to Guernsey and had to isolate for two weeks. I was meant to have ten days with family, but I’ve only had three days out of isolation.”

Pictured: Billy is following his dreams at a Raymond Blanc restaurant.

Billy said it was a sacrifice he was willing to make: “I’ve been waiting six months to come home and this was my only opportunity -  it was about trying my hardest to get at least a few days with family.”

It is clear our privileged position during these uncertain times has still allowed for incredible and unprecedented stresses on people’s lives. 

“It’s the things you do to see your family,” Billy concluded.