Sunday, October 25, 2020

What is a circuit-breaker anyway?

For some time now, people have been talking about a circuit breaker. The proposal has been backed by Labour leader Keir Starmer. This is usually understood as a brief but extreme lockdown, intended to slow the spread of the virus. It's defined here as "a tight set of restrictions - it could feel a lot like the original lockdown - but crucially it would be for a fixed period of time".


But today, in the news, I see that John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley, is calling for what he calls a 'circuit breaker' on Christmas Day:


"Perhaps we should consider a Christmas 'circuit-breaker'. A 24-hour lifting of restrictions on gatherings and celebrations, a break in the war on Covid, just like the pause in the First World War on the Western Front in 1914, when the British and German troops laid down their guns and met in no man's land to celebrate Christmas"


It seems this comes from a paywalled article in the Sunday Times, which I've not read, but the same wording is reported by both the BBC and STV, so I assume it's accurate.


While the more important question is probably whether or not this is a good idea, my main puzzlement is why he uses the term 'circuit breaker' seemingly to mean a temporary lifting of restrictions, rather than imposition or tightening of restrictions. It's an example of someone using a term to mean the exact opposite of its ordinary meaning.


Who does he think he is? Humpty Dumpty?

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