Why Northern Ireland should add off licenses to #Covid19 exceptions

As many of you will know I’m not one for digging at any government for their handling of the #Covid19 pandemic. No one in the west is practiced at this in the way the eastern countries are, so negative cross globe comparisons tend to miss this vital context.

I do however think that closing of Northern Irish off-licenses is a misstep and one I hope is reversible without anyone feeling they have to back down. Making mistakes is part of this process.

Why is it a mistake? Well, two reasons. On the big scale, this virus is a diffuse challenge that has taken advantage of unprotected globalised trade and travel lines which has mainstreamed the virus into the smallest of our communities.

There is some (albeit anecdotal) evidence that in Italy, which has retained a far larger small retailer sector than either the UK or Ireland, is playing a valuable role in keeping communities, fed and watered whilst larger outlets sell out quickly.

We have (again purely anecdotally) evidence that in Northern Ireland country stores tend not sell out as quickly and customers adopt social distancing techniques as quickly as the bigger stores (where 24 cans of baked beans might not be challenged).

My friend David Steven in Pisa put this great Tweet thread out a couple of days ago covers the resilience argument better than I can:

Today’s #coronadiary, 24/03/20

A tribute to the Small Shops of #Pisa – the bedrock of local #resilience and heroes for keeping us fed through this dreadful crisis. [1/x]

— David Steven (@davidsteven) March 24, 2020

Closing a small chain of shops which uniquely sell alcohol will push more people to go to the big supermarket chains more regularly and put even more pressure on them. But there is another more distressing public health problem.

Alcoholics. One of the first things that will have closed down is AA meetings, and counseling is being ended suddenly.  Sudden withdrawal can be dangerous too. Adam Taylor in the Independent:

…if it’s not done properly, withdrawal from alcohol can have terrible health consequences of its own, including death.

Bear in mind some of these big superstores which will continue selling booze in NI can be miles away from the locality in which people live this is a highly likely scenario. And the Office of the Executive simply don’t have to do it.

The UK government hasn’t. Off licences are listed in their exceptions to the order to close, presumably with the two considerations above in mind.

London has now added offies to its exceptions list https://t.co/x1Q7Lk7yLF

— Tom (@tggleeson) March 25, 2020

I’m not standing on a soapbox to say this. I know the Executive has its hands full and doesn’t need the grandstanding. I’ve said from the start mistakes are inevitable. They just need fixing when they’re discovered. As quickly as possible.

Personally I like a drink more than most but, firstly because it was Lent and secondly because of this damned virus I really want to give myself the best chance I can if I catch it, booze has almost dropped off my radar (which it will for a lot of us).

But this isn’t about us.

If you are suffering right now, or you’re a politician or policymaker working under the pressure of Covid19, please have a look at the Alcohol Change website.

Photo by Anna Shvets is licensed under CC0