NINE months ago we were in a lockdown. It was silent out my front door, I could hear birds out walking, hear streams tinkling. Everyone was frightened to go out, no one drove anywhere, no one wanted to catch the killer virus.

A few months later 45,000 were dead.

At that point all of us in fear of this invisible killer would have downloaded the track and trace app. You know, the one that was already made, ready to go, that one. Not the one that had to be contracted to some business, made from scratch and tested on the Isle of White, causing delays. That track and trace could have changed things. We were in a proper lockdown then. It was serious.

Cut to yesterday in usual Sleepy Saddleworth. Hundreds of people queuing back to back, centimetres from each other, waiting half an hour for an essential coffee in a paper cup. No one coming out and making sure everyone keeps their distance, not that anyone would listen.

The garden centre, that essential shop, its car park rammed to the gills.

All of those hundreds and hundreds fighting for a car parking space, some getting angry, obviously locals.

The message has yet to get through. Is it that we just don’t like rules in this country or is it that we just don’t care?

How bad does it have to get, how disastrous does it have to be before everyone actually avoids close proximity to others like in the real lockdown back in March? Remember that lockdown, what it was like? Well things are far more worse now. Can you see why? How long will this situation last? Do I think you and I have any influence on things? Personally am not standing in any queue. Am not standing near anyone else.

John Matthews, Uppermill