Two years since first Covid lockdown began - How the Adver covered it

Boris Johnson's broadcast to the nation aired in the evening of March 23 2020 and explained how life as we knew it would be very different for the next two months.

On that day, the Adver reported on a retiring GP's concerns about doctors in Swindon being put at risk by the NHS' lack of preparation for the pandemic, a woman who self-isolated after experiencing flu-like symptoms told us of her struggle to get tested, and a Spanish couple provided a glimpse of what life was like under lockdown abroad.

During one of what would become hundreds of daily press conferences, the PM urged people to stop ignoring social distancing rules or risk further measures being necessary.

Those measures were announced just 24 hours later. Full details of what this unprecedented situation would involve filled the March 24 edition of the Adver.

The coverage focused on the initial announcement, with fines being introduced for those who flouted the new stay-at-home guidelines by venturing out for any reason other than daily exercise, visiting a doctor or buying food and drink.

Pubs, restaurants, non-essential shops, play areas and entertainment venues closed. Adver readers were broadly in favour of the high level of safety precautions because they had seen people ignoring the less strict rules in previous weeks.

Some major chains like Costa, Primark and Nando's had already decided to temporarily close their doors.

The Threshold charity which helps homeless people feared they were being put at risk by delays to drug addiction support,  and short jury trials were cancelled at Swindon's courts until it became safe to have them again.

Voluntary Action Swindon and Swindon Borough Council have joined forces to set up a scheme to pair up those who need assistance, and those who can give it

The borough council urged people to be calm and take the threat of the virus seriously, as some council staff had been verbally abused and spat at while enforcing the new restrictions.

At the time, coronavirus cases were skyrocketing and the UK death toll totalled 335. Now, 163,679 people have died within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test.

Our March 25 edition showed how organisations were making big changes to the way they worked, the death toll ticked up at GWH and more people reacted to the news of the lockdown, which became law on March 26 and ended in June.