Freeing half of Blackburn, Darwen and Rossendale from the shackles of a lockdown was the best news of the week. It was very much like seeing two of your best friends escape from Alcatraz – if nothing else, at least they got out.

Only the predominantly Asian wards remain in lockdown in both Blackburn and Pendle.

We are where we are, not because of how that person ‘behaves’. This is a fallacy that is being rammed down our throats to make it seem that South Asians are a law unto themselves. This subtle racist narrative has reared its ugly head (again) during the summer which has helped to deflect the attention away from the failings of central government and vague messages that make little sense.

This comes only a few months after we applauded the same workers from those backgrounds for their wonderful efforts for saving all our lives. Typically when they are called upon again they will be 'national heroes' again.

The point is that coronavirus is affecting the Asian community more than other communities. There is a larger transmission rate and those from an Asian heritage are the most likely in Great Britain to die after being admitted to hospital for Covid-19. Research says that people from a south Asian background had a mortality rate in hospitals 20% higher than the white population.

Secondly, it has been suggested the virus is passed on through larger family networks and within tightly knit housing structures.

I have also learned there is a focus now to get more young people from Asian backgrounds tested in the area.

But this is also a time to act where we can.

I have seen first-hand some sterling work done by mosques in Lancashire who have gone out of their way to fulfil guidelines. But with more than 50 mosques in Blackburn alone maybe it is time we looked at curtailing timings for the foreseeable future.

To suggest this does not put the blame on the mosques but if you have thousands of people attending centres once a week it is simply using some common sense.

There also finally needs to be a realisation that within our community some of us are ignoring simple advice with regards to social distancing with family gatherings. That does not mean we are the only ones doing this. And we can’t continue to hide behind the defence that ‘everyone is doing the same’ and share images of people not social distancing at pubs and beaches.

People are keen to bend the rules to suit their own purposes but that will happen when those rules are so vague.

I am not allowed to visit someone else’s house but I am okay spending an hour in the company of total strangers in a restaurant where queues are going round the block. Come Monday night will the powers that be assist local businesses who are overwhelmed by the vast numbers heading out for a meal?

And then I am forced to wear a mask in the shopping centre but not when I am within distance of some guy who is sat two metres away from me and clearly seems to be sweating.

One minute you don’t want crowds and the next you do? The problem is, businesses can put all the measures in place but if people don’t care, what do you think was going to happen?

The sooner we realise that some rules are just far too easy to bend then the sooner we will be able to have a grown-up conversation about this. Or we can carry on going at each other’s throats and blame the next man for ‘not behaving’.