THERE’S something symbolic about January 1. A new year, a fresh start. This time it feels different. Covid has dominated our lives for nearly two years now and I’d lay a bet most peoples’ wish is simply that it ends.

I hope that the vaccination roll-out has done its job, and people can breathe freely again and hug those they love after months and in some cases, years apart. It’s been hard.

I hope with every part of me that 2022 brings us a kinder, less anxious time, with freedom to go where we want, when we want without the very unwelcome Covid family curtailing our everyday lives.

At least, two years down the line we know much more about Covid, how it spreads, who’s most vulnerable, best precautions to take.

And I still marvel at all those who still went to work when Covid first appeared, when we knew so little about transmission, and literally put their lives on the line in order that people could still buy food, medicines, have rubbish collected, hospitals, care homes, and many, many others.

A lot of these people on minimum, or low wage doing essential work which kept the rest of us going. They are true heroes. Perhaps one of the good thing that will come out of this pandemic is that people who are the backbone of our country are treated with the respect and salary they deserve.

We know for sure who the essential workers are now, and frankly, none of them work in Westminster. They work in St Mary’s, Morrisons, water treatment works… Society would grind to a halt without them. I don’t think we’d miss the suits much at all, not for a very long time, if ever.

Covid and keeping people safe has meant that many care homes and hospitals have placed draconian restrictions on their patients'/residents' visitors. It’s understandable that institutions want to keep their inmates safe.

But, physical safety is not the only important factor at play. Human beings need connection, they need touch. Humans need their loved ones around them when they are at their most vulnerable. A hug and a chat can have enormous therapeutic benefits on a person's health as well as their morale.

To stick an arbitrary number on the total amount of named visitors allowed to visit seems unkind to both the inmate and their family.

On a purely logical basis, unless all staff within the hospital/care home are staying on-site, isolating, then the staff will be going home, via the supermarket possibly, to kids who’ve been at school possibly, to partners who’ve been to work etc, etc.

Every member of staff will be coming into contact with hundreds, if not thousands of people through people. So why restrict visitors to only a few named ones?

If people are vaccinated and have a negative lateral flow test, then let them in and let those with so little choice have a cuddle.

Happy 2022 everybody.