Photos of large queues for pubs and shops – like the popular affordable clothing store Primark – went viral online, while a video of a crowd rushing to get into the Manchester Arndale shopping center raised concerns about the transmission of the virus.
But many Brits mocked the rush with jokes and memes on social media.
As freezing cold weather and snow continued to take over large portions of the UK, many people also mocked the lifting of restrictions with pictures of winter blizzards, ski resorts, and snowmen holding pints of beer.
On Monday, shops, hairdressers, zoos, theme parks, libraries, self-contained holiday accommodation, and pubs with outdoor service were allowed to reopen in England as part of the government’s latest lockdown loosening stage. If cases of Covid-19 remain low, the third stage of reopening will take place on May 17, allowing indoor pub and restaurant service, meetings at homes, cinemas, museums, and international travel to resume.
The fourth and final stage of reopening, planned for no earlier than June 21, will remove all legal lockdown restrictions.