Will you need help to reconnect after lockdown ends?

MPs have said that many people may need help to reconnect with others once the lockdown ends. According to some, lonely people who have spent much of the past year completely alone may need to be encouraged to start mixing socially again following the gradual easing of lockdown rules.

Some MPs believe that many lonely people will find it hard to reconnect with others in the days and weeks following the easing of lockdown rules. This could result in what they have described as 'a loneliness emergency' caused by people having been unable to socialise for significant portions of the past year.

Officials believe there is an urgent need to tackle the problem after a recent poll showed an alarming number of people felt cut off from their communities and other people. Some have suggested that more amenities like benches and public toilets are needed to encourage people to mix and help combat loneliness.

One-third of Brits feel less connected

According to the poll carried out recently by the British Red Cross, one-third of Brits now feel far less connected to their communities and social circles. Since last March, a series of lockdowns and restrictions have kept people away from friends, families, and communities, with many suffering from loneliness that they believe will continue after the lockdown.

The poll showed that 35% of people felt as though they could not connect with their communities any longer after the past year. Furthermore, close to 40% believed their loneliness would be an ongoing problem even after restrictions ease. In addition to this, 32% expressed concern that reconnecting with others would be a struggle and that they would find it hard to mix with others in the same way as they did pre-pandemic.