Editorial: Now is the time to cautiously reclaim our freedom

Our common sense and strong sense of solidarity helped us lead the way in vaccine take-up rates, but we must remain mindful of those still vulnerable to Covid-19

The scale of the pandemic threat, we were told, necessitated an appeal to something larger and more inclusive than our individual freedoms. Picture: RollingNews.ie

When the Covid-19 pandemic gripped Ireland and the world 18 months ago, governments of every stripe did something that never happens in most countries outside wartime. They ordered their citizens to stay indoors, shut down economic activity, suspended daily life as we knew it, and told us these measures were in our best interest. Individual rights were suspended and superseded by the notion of the collective welfare.

The scale of the pandemic threat, we were ...