Relaxed rules show faith in businesses

The move had been telegraphed by the Civil Contingencies Authority a fortnight ago and the only question was when and for how long the confinement would be prolonged.

In those two weeks, the number of positive cases has gone from 23 to 166, the first four deaths have been recorded, nursing homes have been hit hard and the island has just got its own testing regime under way.

Across the water, the PM lies in an intensive care bed and NHS hospitals are under severe pressure.

In such circumstances, no one should be surprised that Public Health wants more time to gather information about how Covid-19 is progressing through our community.

That said, with the hospital at the ready but still notably quiet, there was enough confidence to relax the delivery rules for businesses.

The move is to be welcomed. Deliveries will ease the pressure on householders who will find lockdown restrictions easier to manage with the ability to buy a wider range of goods. At a stroke it will remove irritating anomalies that allow alcohol to be delivered while compost and bedding plants cannot.

It could also be a lifeline for small retailers, some of which have lost their entire income since early March. With rent, staff and service bills to pay, many desperately needed to resume trading.

It is clear, however, that this is a trade-off. Public Health is trusting businesses to follow the rules. If the guidelines are abused the shutters will swiftly come back down.

Such tests will become commonplace in the coming weeks and it is crucial that islanders show they are up to the task. If lockdown is to be relaxed in stages, businesses and individuals will need to show that, when given responsibility, they do not abuse the faith shown in them.

Based on the last fortnight, there is reason to be optimistic. Deputy St Pier thanked islanders for their commitment to lockdown. It was good, if not perfect.

There is room then for improvement. We can all aim for perfection.