Riding the CoronaCoaster of UK rules

In the beginning, there was “Stay at Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.” That was the British government’s simple slogan for its country-wide lockdown that began in March to try to stem the COVID-19 pandemic and avoid a collapse of the National Health Service’s hospital system. Nothing has been simple ever since. In the ensuing months, the original slogan has been replaced by a series of new catchphrases, the “Rule of Six,” a “Tiers” alert system, and ever-changing regulations for different parts of the United Kingdom that even British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently called “confusing.” “I like to follow the rules,” says Joinal Abdin, 41, who lives near Oldham, in northern England. Does he understand them? “No. Half of the time I’m confused, to be honest with you.”