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Update events due to COVID-19
*On 8 December the first person was inoculated.
*Despite some recovery from May onwards, the UK economy in October remained 8% below the pre-pandemic levels<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/dec/10/uk-economy-almost-at-a-standstill-before-new-covid-restrictions-hit-ons-says Elliott, L., 'UK economy almost at a standstill before new Covid restrictions hit, ONS says', The Guardian, 10 December 2020] (Retrieved 10 December 2020)</ref>.
*Both Shropshire and Worcestershire moved to 'tier 3' on 31 December as infection rates rose. A third English national lockdown followed from 5 January to 29 March 2021.*A 'two jab' vaccination programme started from 8 December 2020.<ref>[https://www.england.nhs.uk/2020/12/landmark-moment-as-first-nhs-patient-receives-covid-19-vaccination/ NHS.gov.uk] (Retrieved 11 July 2021)</ref> By July 2021 over half the population had received the second jab and were deemed fully vaccinated.*In February 2021 the government published proposals for the conditional lifting of restrictions in England in stages between March and June. The latter date was extended to 19 July, with some restrictions continuing until 26 August.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518 BBC News 10 July 2021</ref> Concurrently the spread of the delta variant saw a 'third wave' of infections with numbers of infections rising exponentially from early May.
===Timeline of events on the SVR===
*February 2021: The railway announced it planned to restart its public services with regular excursion services from 12 April and other facilities opening when permitted, with previous COVID-19 safe measures continuing.
*In March 2021 the SVR's bid for a second Culture Recovery Grant failed.
*Spring and summer 2021 events restarted, but with restricted numbers and fixed bookable itineraries.
==Effects on the SVR==
With the intervention rate for furlough payments dropping from 1 August 2020 the SVR made up to 40 roles redundant among salaried and zero hours staff who were unable to return to their previous roles, and for whom the Railway was unable to find alternative employment<ref name="blaug20"/>.
In 2021 February half-term, Easter and services to early April were lost, with restricted passenger numbers thereafter, and later reopenings for museums and pubs.
==See also==
