The great granny revolt

OAPs have had enough of lockdown – and are starting to rebel.

Over the past three weeks, four in 10 over-80s have broken lockdown rules after taking the vaccine, according to new research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Four in 10 people aged over 80 have broken lockdown restrictions to meet up with people indoors since being vaccinated in the past three weeks, the ONS has found https://t.co/78AGrrQOYr

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 4, 2021

Among this age group, 43 per cent said that since receiving the jab, they had met someone indoors who was not in their support bubble. And around 41 per cent said they had seen more people since being immunised.

We have been in lockdown for much of the past year. We have shut down the country to protect the vulnerable. But even those vulnerable people themselves are sick of the authoritarian restrictions on their lives. The OAP rebellion is a heartening testament to the human spirit. Even the most frail among us yearn for freedom.

Over 99 per cent of over-80s say they have been offered a Covid jab. And in a matter of weeks, all 32million people classed as vulnerable by the government will have been offered one, too. This group accounts for 99 per cent of Covid deaths. It’s crazy to remain in lockdown when so many of those at risk are now immune.

We need to follow the example set by the elderly and push back against this neverending lockdown. The glacial pace of the government’s reopening plan is ridiculous. It’s time to get back to normal.