Restrictions must end but we can all help prevent the virus spreading | Rick Jackson

This day has to come at some point.

The argument whether it’s too soon with the Delta-variant bring more infections, is a matter for sc ientists and politicians to decide.

We cannot live with restrictions forever. Our civil liberties have to return at some point. Our economy and society wouldn’t survive otherwise.

We need to be able to travel; we need to be able to meet people; we need to get back into the office; and we need to be able to enjoy our lives fully at some point.

What we do know is Covid-19 is never going away.

Like the common cold and flu, it will be with us forever.

The Covid vaccines is our only route out, but it’s not a guarantee as it’s only 90-odd per cent effective. Good enough for many I’m sure.

Come July 19, I’m looking forward to getting back to as normal as possible.

But many of the things I’ve been doing to prevent the spread of the virus, I will personally continue.

I will still always sanitise my hands and will more than probably still wear a face mask anywhere inside, like the supermarket.

I’ve managed to avoid catching coronavirus and I certainly don’t want to catch it now, whether I’ve been vaccinated or not.

I’ve also enjoyed the p ast 16 months of not having a cold, another benefit of regularly sanitising and wearing a face mask.

Yes it’s time to open up, but for me I know I still have a civil responsibility to my fellow human not to spread it around like wildfire.

I’m not sure I’m ready for a packed Fratton Park or cinema just yet and thankfully my night-clubbing days are well behind me.

However what I am looking forward to is having friends round for dinner or going to birthday parties.

For that I am thankful and will do my bit to keep it that way so we can return to a world similar to that of pre-Covid.

My daughter is as nimble as Mowgli from Jungle Book

My daughter is obsessed with monkey bars. For months now, I’ve had to drag her away from school kicking and screaming as she heads straight for the ones in the playground at home time.

Even on holiday, her highlight was the monkey bars in the woods at the campsite. We bit the bullet and got some for the garden.

It took ages for my father-in-law and I to put together, but finally they were up.

Before I let Holly on, I decided to test them. I managed three of the eight rails. Holly hangs off them like Mowgli in Jungle Book.

At least I don’t need to cement them in after my weight sank into them, anchoring them firmly into the grass!

Tour de France is tricky to explain – but I love the race

I love the Tour de France and cycling in general but it’s hard to explain.

They don’t understand how the winner of the Tour may not ever win a stage. Brit Mark Cavendish has won a total of 32 but will never win the Tour.

To win, you need to complete the whole race in the shortest overall time. ‘Cav’ will sprint when the route is flat, but in the mountains he struggles. This is where the main protagonists thrive.

This is also why it’s such a great sport, with so many battles taking place, including ‘King of the Mountains’ and best young rider. Cavendish could break the record for the most stage wins in the history of the Tour. That would be some headline!