Confidence and trust key to moving out of lockdown measures - Laura Collins, YEP Editor

I even cried happy tears - the last time that happened was on my wedding day after pledging to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.

But to read that both of my parents have now received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine meant so much.

For the last year they have spent most of their time on edge as they navigated their way through the pandemic.

As carers for my severely disabled older sister they have been incredibly careful about where to go and what to do, as they formed a human shield around her.

And that strain has been especially tough as they have not had the respite they need as carers.

For my mum in particular it has meant weeks on end confined to the sanctuary of her own home - too worried to even go to the supermarket at times.

And she isn’t alone.

Over the last year we’ve heard so many stories about carers and the impact the pandemic has had on them as they protect some of our most clinically vulnerable loved ones. But now they are able to start looking forward to what the next few months could mean.

For them, and the many millions who have had their first dose of the vaccine, the future is beginning to look much brighter.

It comes after Boris Johnson pledged to offer all adults in the UK a vaccine by the end of July as he prepares to set out his road map to relax lockdown restrictions in England today.

The Prime Minister is expected to include target dates for the relaxation of restrictions, but a Government source has stressed that they would be guided by the data at each stage. He is expected to unveil his blueprint in Parliament this afternoon before then addressing the nation later on tonight.

The PM said he will be taking a cautious approach as he priortises how to get children back into school and each of us reunited with our loved ones safely.

It is going to be a difficult balance to strike: a desire for freedom and at the same time avoiding an upsurge in infections by lifting measures too quickly.

Public confidence and trust will be crucial to ensuring that each of us continues to play our part as we manoeuvre our way through this.

So it is important that transparency is at the heart of the address tonight with the supporting data that is guiding the decisions made at the top level.

We’ve all made so many sacrifices since the first national lockdown almost a year ago.

Many of us haven’t seen family or friends for months on end and the impact of lockdown has had an emotional toll on all of us.

It could be all too easy at this stage to let our guards down but this is something we can’t afford to do, especially as we have come so far in the battle against the virus.

So while I optimistically look forward to a family reunion, I’m more than happy to wait even longer until it is safe to do so.

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