As Europe virus cases surge, UK plows on with its new normal

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — As several European nations tighten up or lock down to combat a spike in coronavirus infections, life in Britain is almost back to normal. Pubs, restaurants, theaters and shops are all busy. This is not the first time in the pandemic that Britain has been out of step with many of its neighbors. But this time, it’s happy to be different. Scientists say the surge that is now hitting mainland Europe, driven by the highly transmissible delta strain of the virus, walloped Britain in the summer. While cases have been stubbornly high in the U.K. since then, it means Britain is not seeing the same spike in infections and hospitalizations that is worrying some of its neighbors.