A woman has struggled to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as she struggles to live normally four years on.
Sophie Hopkins, 29, from Newcastle, was 25-years-old when the UK locked down in response to Covid.
She went from enjoying swimming and going to the gym to only leaving her house late at night for essential shopping.
Hopkins told The Mirror: “I became a black belt in karate and I used to love exploring new places like museums and parks.
Covid restrictions were brought in back in March 2020
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“Now I am the total opposite to before lockdown and only go out if I really need to.
“Even when I do go out, I don't travel far and I shop online for the majority of things.”
Hopkins, who suffers from asthma and social anxiety, struggles being in the same room with more than three people.
Before lockdown she was able to attend weddings or conferences with more than 100 attendees.
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GETTYHopkins added: “I live in a ‘new normal' with fear and anxieties.
“I do go out but super late at night to get my shopping.
“If I go out during the day it's within a 10 minute walk and I need to have my headphones so I don’t acknowledge my surroundings which could send me into a panic.”
The UK Government introduced strict measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus in 2020.
Restrictions were brought in to curb Covid
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“England was in national lockdown between late March and June 2020,” the House of Commons Library said.
“Intitally, all 'non-essential' high street businesses were closed and people were ordered to stay at home, permitted to leave for essential purposes only, such as buying food or for medical reasons.
“Starting in May 2020, the laws were slowly relaxed. People were permitted to leave home for outdoor recreation (beyond exercise) from May 13.
“On June 1, the restriction on leaving home was replaced with a requirement to be home overnight, and people were permitted to meet outside in groups of up to six people.”
