The 10 lessons we need to learn from lockdown as we fully reopen

You can undo the Covid-19 restrictions, but not the experiences that we have gained, writes Hamish McRae

‘We have seen the best of people, but also the worst during this pandemic’ (Niklas Halle’n/AFP/Getty Images)

What have we learnt from lockdown? We can see the path to a sort-of reopening of the economy, a path that other economies around the world are in some way or another following. But it won’t be the same, will it, as it was 18 months ago?

You undo the Covid-19 restrictions, but you cannot undo the experiences – good or bad – that we have gained. We will not be able to make a proper tally of what we have learnt for many months, maybe years. But we can think about some early lessons. Here are ten candidates, five broadly positive, five broadly negative.

First – and most obvious – is the online distribution mechanism. The proportion of UK retail sales online has gone up from 20 per cent to about 30 per cent, though it has not settled yet. It is probably more efficient: fewer road journeys and lower energy bills for out-of-town warehouses than for supermarkets.