Coronavirus lockdown (IN THE UK)

On 23 March 2020, the UK Prime Minister, Mr Boris Johnson, announced that coronavirus (Covid-19) was the most significant threat that the UK had faced for decades. Despite the ending of this first lockdown in June 2020, there has been the introduction of tiered lockdowns in October 2020. The second national lockdown announced on 31 October 2020 which ended on 2 December 2020. With many Downing Street and government reversals, Christmas and New Year did not go ahead as many had planned to introduce a ‘new’ tier 4 lockdown. Now with the third national lockdown having been in place since 4 January 2021, which may last until mid-February 2021 or as we expect mid to late March 2021, we want to help you with some mental health and positive-thinking resources below and career coaching services throughout our website to assist you with post-lockdown life.

Some background facts

The UK death toll from Covid-19 on that date was 102, whereas today (8 February 2021 ~ John Hopkins University CSSE data) is more than 113,000. Now in England’s third national lockdown (Lockdown 3.0) the changes in the daily life of the nation include spending less time with others, outside of your own immediate household; wearing masks in supermarkets, stores, public transport and crowded places; no access to pubs, restaurants, gyms, swimming pools and even attending schools, colleges or a majority of workplaces in person. Although vaccinations for coronavirus are here, we are facing the transmission and rise of variants.

We are very keen on promoting mental health and positive thinking during this time, and we encourage you to access our Positive Thinking section and follow our OutShout blog.

We want to pay our respects and thanks to all our key workers in the NHS and frontline services. We thank them for their unending service and contribution to work protecting all of us every day. Further, the thoughts of all families and friends who have sadly lost their loved ones are forever in our thoughts.

Recommended freely available mental health support resources

  • Text SHOUT to 85258 - 24/7 confidential free text service
  • Call Samaritans for free on 116 123 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week volunteer helpline for someone to listen to how you are feeling.
  • Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer and Woebot apps on your mobile phone
  • A chat with a trusted friend… an episode or two of your favourite TV comedy (Friends, perhaps) or an excellent movie (personally, I would recommend The Pursuit of Happyness (2016) starring Will Smith)