In front of the supermarket, a line, seemingly endless, stretches. Not so long, actually. Customers have simply left two to three meters between them, while at the entrance, a man in a fluorescent vest allows dropper everyone to enter the store. A tottering baby tries to approach a child in the queue, his mother restrains him and gives the other parent a knowing look. "It's not easy for them right now, is it? "
Inside, no crowd in front of the snacks, no waiting at the cash register… On the side, a sign reserved for the first hour of opening in the morning: “We are open for the elderly and the most vulnerable. Many supermarkets now have slots dedicated to the over 70s and healthcare workers.
How to make sure everyone can eat enough. Because some departments are still very empty: that of pasta, in particular, but also flour, sugar ... "People are still buying in a panic," says Maria, who works in a residence for the elderly in the suburbs of Birmingham. They store a lot of toilet paper, it's weird. According to the Kantar Institute, March was the most successful month ever for UK retailers, with a 20.6% jump in sales over four weeks.
The races to the sound of "I Will Survive"
Failing to stock up in their usual shops, some consumers fall back on small grocery stores that have flourished in restaurants, forced to close. Because the rule of confinement for ten days is clear: no question of leaving your home, except to do your shopping, exercise (once a day), get medicine, or go to work.
The very chic Coal office, an oriental-inspired establishment in the heart of a now deserted shopping center, sells take-out dishes, fruit and vegetables from their usual suppliers, and homemade bread. The owner calls it "the operation tomorrow". "Usually we are 60 people, this is a small team, explains Nick, between pomelo and eggplant. Only those who can come without taking public transport. It is for the community and not to stop. People tell us: It's great that there is still life here. A cover of "I Will Survive" echoes on the store premises.
Summary protections
Near Birmingham, the oldest and most dependent people have their groceries "delivered to their door", says Maria. She is one of the "key workers", obliged to continue their service for the smooth functioning of the country. “Some tenants here refuse to eat right now, because they are each at home. They no longer have the meal together, which was part of their routine. "
Maria continues to walk to work, away from the crowded metros recently seen in the capital. But she regrets the summary protections provided by her employer: "an apron, gloves, and masks, but to be used only if a resident shows symptoms. "
After her day at work, Maria returns to find her partner, who suffers from heart problems and must, as a person at risk, isolate himself at home for twelve weeks. “As soon as I get home, I undress. I spend my time washing myself, I am the cleanest person in the world! she jokes. Anyone can get sick, even the Prime Minister. "
Strategic turnaround
Boris Johnson, tested positive for coronavirus, is piloting the fight against the epidemic from home. Today, few Britons openly criticize his tactic, based first on "collective immunization" (letting the virus spread to create collective "protection") before switching to a more conventional response.
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VIDEO. Covid-19: "Many families will lose loved ones" warns Boris Johnson
But, here too, the caregivers point out the lack of protection sometimes, and the slowness of the reaction. And health authorities are now planning to return to normal life in six months! In the meantime, the opening of an emergency hospital in London, expected for this Wednesday, has just been postponed. In the UK, the Covid-19 officially killed 1,808 people.