Reaction from Islanders as England is set for second lockdown

Island MP Bob Seely is among those to question the merits of the decision.

He says lockdown is not a strategy, and fears they do not work.

He believes the purpose of the first lockdown was to buy us time to prepare, so we wouldn't need a second.

Read more: "Lockdown is not a strategy" says Island MP Bob Seely

Vix Lowthion, of the Green Party, said it was because of individuals like Mr Seely that the first lockdown had been unsuccessful.

In June, Mr Seely admitted he "called it wrong" after attending a social gathering in Seaview during lockdown.

Read more: 'I called it wrong' – MP admits attending Seaview gathering

On the County Press Twitter page, Mike Voller says lockdown is brutal for the Island.

He says businesses will go bust, with yet more jobs lost and thousands of lives put on hold.

"Given how responsible Islanders have been since March ­— following every guideline while trying to support local businesses ­— lockdown feels like punishment," said Mr Voller.

On the County Press Facebook page, Moira Haigh argued the first lockdown did work, and said: "It couldn't stop the virus but the reduced transmission meant hospitals could cope and less people died.

"It's just a shame it wasn't earlier, which would have saved more lives."

On the County Press Facebook page, Lewis Lake says the fact that gyms will be forced to close is "an absolute joke".

"We are once again restricting everyone without thought for the people who are not at risk, and failing to help the people who genuinely are," said Mr Lake.

"We are failing to take into account the long lasting effects of this blanket policy on everyone, including the NHS.

"Gyms closing is an absolute joke, cutting off the one place that tangibly helps people protect themselves from the worst Covid has to offer.

"1 Leisure posted only last week how much they need us to engage with their service in order to survive, and now they are forced to close.

"Nobody talks about the relationship between obesity and Covid-19. Boris Johnson's health drive was combined with the most unhealthy and reckless initiative I've ever seen ­— Eat Out to Help Out.

"Living with the virus means living better, not deciding that living itself is the problem."

On the County Press Facebook page, Simon Toogood says lockdowns do work, but are only an interim measure to prevent the NHS from being overloaded.

"They are not a solution," said Mr Toogood.

"Cases are increasing across the UK because some people ­— at lot of people ­— are still not social distancing or washing hands.

"Masks may only be nine per cent effective on their own but people seem to ignore this.

"If we want to avoid further lockdowns then we must follow the distancing/mask/hand washing, otherwise we will all suffer the failed economy for decades to come.

"Once Covid becomes just a seasonal virus and numbers are manageable, we may then be able to return to a level of normality."

On the County Press Facebook page, Clare Short says she believes the tier system was a much better solution.

"Bob Seely is speaking for the Island, and he is right," she said.

"We are separate from the mainland and have no need for a second lockdown.

"All it will do is to put the final nail in the coffins of our small businesses, and increase the suicide rate."

Labour's Richard Quigley said: "I can see this second lockdown was inevitable, I think the Government have responded too slowly and should have used the opportunity to combine it with half term.

"I support a firebreak, but the financial support needs to be robust enough to stop people falling into hardship and support businesses.

"The Government now needs to set a clear exit strategy and take examples from other nations that are managing the situation much more successfully.

"We can't have a lockdown every time the Government loses control of the situation.

"Now is the time to get a handle on test and trace by entrusting it to local authorities and funding it correctly to get ahead of the virus."