MUMS across York have shared their 'Freedom Day' fears as Boris Johnson takes the next "cautious but irreversible” step of the roadmap.

From July 19, all legal limits on social distancing and mask wearing will be lifted while nightclubs, gigs and festivals will return for the first time since lockdown was imposed in March last year.

But for some, the next step has come "too soon" - from nervous mothers of new born babies to those still recovering from the virus. 

I can’t fathom why anyone would choose not to for the sake of a sweaty upper lip."

Anxiety

Alana Howarth-Lees is a first time mum to Ada, who was born in April 2020 and says coronavirus has left her, in some situations, "instantly on edge".

Speaking to The Press, Alana said: "Covid destroyed the visions of socialising with other parents and their babies, visitors in the hospital at her birth and pictures of family with my beautiful newborn.

"Covid changed much of what I thought motherhood would be. It has peaked my anxiety when it came to visitors, being around general public and taking any public transport (I don’t drive) so particularly in the beginning really limited us.

"I struggled to even go for the 'daily walk' because I felt so anxious about who was around my baby.

"Although following guidelines whilst out makes me feel slightly more comfortable, I am constantly aware of others. How close someone is, do they have a mask on and anyone coughing near Ada makes me instantly on edge.

"Our life after July 19 will be very much the same. I’ll continue to wear my mask when out to help protect others, as a mum I can’t fathom why anyone would choose not to for the sake of a sweaty upper lip.

"We’ll continue distancing and I’ll be keeping Ada at arms length from general public. We avoid town at peak times and tend to spend time in larger areas like Museum Gardens where distancing is easy.

"Whilst nothing for us will change I’m prepared to increase my awareness again to compensate for those that make the most of it. Everyone is entitled to their own choices but as I don’t know a life without restrictions but with a baby I just can’t picture it."

Alana added: "I don’t really understand the lift in restrictions. I feel like distancing and mask wearing are so simple that if it can help why end it? I appreciate hospitality industries needing the reopen clubs etc. and support those people getting their income back.

"I just struggle to understand the choice to reopen heavily populated events and take away the basics at the same time? I think for me personally it’s a bit too soon."

'I would not want anyone else to experience the pain I did'

Abby Ford, who lives in the Clifton Green area, is recovering from Covid-19 and believes her nine-year-old son brought the virus home from school.

She described the Government's decision to lift restrictions as "absolutely ridiculous".

Abby said: "Having spent the last week really ill with covid that my son had brought home from school I can say I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that they have scrapped everything and are leaving it to the individual to decide.

"Yet again they are palming it off on the public. WHO has said they believe that what we are about to do is very dangerous and I am so ashamed of the way this Government has dealt with the pandemic.

"I would not want anyone else to experience the pain I did so I will be wearing my mask for others."

Read similar stories: 'Covid could leave me bed bound - but house bound is bad enough'

'She's had Covid in the womb but I would want to risk it'

Rachel Platts, a mum of four from Huntington, says she is "risk assessing" all aspects of her life.

Rachel faced a battle with Covid-19 early on in her pregnancy, meaning her now four-week-old baby may carry some virus antibodies.

Despite hopes they won't catch it again, the family is choosing to stay home on weekends and avoiding busy places.

Just this weekend, the Platts cancelled plans for a day at the seaside over fears of packed streets, rising cases and handling money at the amusements.

"We talked ourselves out of it," Rachel said.

"We're finding we're doing that more and more. I know some mum's have developed quite a lot of anxiety around it. Luckily I've got the other three children but if this was my first baby I can honestly say I could get post natal depression by being in this world right now. It's pretty isolating.

"We're like risk assessing everything. We went to the hospital. I had the rain cover on the push chair. We're walking around with our masks on. I kept the rain cover on the whole time we were there. We walked out the hospital with a muslin cloth over the car seat."

"She's had Covid in the womb but I would want to risk it," Rachel added.

A weakened immune system 

York's Amy Hesp is a mum to two young children and described feeling as "anxious" as the day Boris Johnson first locked down the country in 2020.

As someone with a long term health condition, Amy has a compromised immune system which means she will not be changing her way of life. 

She said: "I will continue to live as I always have been wearing my mask, socially distancing and assessing situations when they arise. I’m fully vaccinated, and have been for a while and I still feel as anxious as I have since it started."

Carers

Meanwhile York carer Ruth Jayne Moulton said: "No change for myself as I work in care so for now all still same, wearing my mask and PPE at work and masks in shops."