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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Iona Young

Edinburgh locals react to two years since country went into lockdown

We spoke to Edinburgh locals to find out their reaction and memories two years since the country went into a national lockdown at the start of the Covid pandemic.

On a sunny afternoon we spoke to Edinburgh residents at Princes Street Gardens to see what they remember and what has changed since the national lockdown two years ago.

On 23 March 2020, Mr Johnson announced the first national lockdown, telling people they would only be permitted to leave their homes for limited reasons, in a bid to stem the spread of Covid-19.

READ MORE: Edinburgh NHS Lothian staff hit out at £1.20 voucher as 'thanks' for pandemic work

Muriel said: "I got through it because I always had someone to phone, get on with housework and try and get a bit of exercise done.

"I kept fit, and got an exercise bike I hadn't been on for years so it was good to get a bit of use out of it."

On what she would tell herself at the start of lockdown Muriel said: "It ages people, so in my opinion I'd always make sure to get out and about a lot - for people older than me who are isolated it must have been awful for them stuck inside with no one to phone.

"I live in assisted housing and throughout we were going about asking 'Is so and so still alive?' because we never saw anybody and the ambulances were never out of the place."

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Next we spoke to 74-year-old Billy, "I used to do a lot of walking so I really filled my time like that and went to the Commonwealth Pool now and then to keep myself busy.

"It didn't really get me down I just kept going for walks, and let it go on. I used to get people coming round to check if I was alright but I just carried on it never really brought me down."

Speaking to how the younger generation was affected Edinburgh Live spoke to Isla who was set to move to Edinburgh from the Borders just before lockdown started which was difficult.

She said: "When we couldn't work it was really hard to get on with less money, now I'm a student and working I get my student loan too so its much better.

The fashion student explained how there were difficult points too: "Both my grandparents died in lockdown not because of Covid but we didn't get to see them or say goodbye because they were in Manchester. This was really sad" she said.

Most Covid restrictions have now been lifted in Scotland apart from the legal requirement to wear masks in a number of public places.

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