Just in the same way as the virus has not affected all of our communities in the same way, so is the easing of the lockdown measures affecting people differently and, again, issues of class, race, gender and identity are glaringly obvious. Some people working in manufacturing and construction are “encouraged” go back to work, often in unprotected environments, while professionals stay in the safety of their homes, behind their laptop screens. As I see pictures of people crammed into full buses, tubes and trains, people unprotected on their way to work, forced to make a terrible choice between having a job and being able to pay the rent, or risking their lives, I am certain that this must be affecting people’s mental health. I wonder whether we will end up not just with a second wave of infections, but also with many people living with a persistent feeling of threat, anxiety, depression and the uncomfortable feeling of being expendable.
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