Week Four and the theme across the board seems to be one of trust: do we trust the information we are being given, do we trust the media to ask meaningful questions, do we trust our fellow citizens to social distance, do we trust the technology to track and inform?
At the micro level it is difficult to trust much of the information. The fact that this a new and fast moving virus has put everyone on the back foot (recriminations will properly follow), and a 24 hour period really isn’t much time to get things done (PEP that hasn’t arrived on Tuesday is unlikely to arrive on Wednesday, and like Rome ventilators aren’t built in a day. At a macro level though the overall picture appears robust, the issue I think is not the graphs per se, it’s the presentation of the graphs, specifically a lack of context. This virus is going to effect millions and kill thousands, we know that. From day one the world was in limitation mode, so at best the graphs need to be measured against that background: are we buying the NHS enough time, are we seeing the expected trends given anticipated timeframes of social distancing etc, are we delivering and developing the PEP, tests, vaccines against projected time scales.
The media, pretty much as expected, are proving to be anything but competent. Repeatedly asking questions where you know the answer already, and continually searching for the negative headline is neither mature or helpful. I am not for one minute defending the politicians who once again are proving to be out of their depth, but I think the media need to be asking more questions of the experts to help the population understand the detail behind the science and the graphs, rather than trying to challenge the work they are doing.
NB: I have mentioned graphs twice now so if you are into your graphs check out https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-data – impressive and informative.
My only awareness of people not complying to social distancing guidelines is from the media, but it seems that we continue to have a number of selfish, arrogant, know it all people letting the side down as ever. I wish they had all seen Andrea Bocelli on YouTube. Powerful and impressive as ever, the real power of the broadcast was seeing the empty streets of Paris, Milan and London. Those are the messages the media need to be presenting. Don’t give the self centred attention seeking idiots coverage, show the world that we are genuinely in this together.
For me one of the biggest stories of the week was the work being done by Google and Apple to use embedded software on our phones to utilise Bluetooth to let us know if we are in the proximity of people that have tested positive for COVID-19. Where do you start with this? Are there enough tests to make this at all viable statistically? Do we trust people that have tested positive to carry their phones?
I fear that the whole area of tracking and passports to prove you are safe to travel depend on a level of mutual trust and maturity that just does not exist.
As for our week: no issues! Am proud of the way my parents have handled it so far. They are fortunate that that they have a pleasant home with a conservatory, garden and cat (Charmin) to keep them company, a canal they can walk along each day (something they didn’t do enough before this) and they are well establish IT users so the online ordering and video calls are old hat for them. Still they are seeing nobody other than us when we deliver food, medicines and clean the house (credit to them that have stopped the cleaner but are still paying her).
Sandra’s mother is coping well. The family have increased the carer’s hours to 4 a day so she sees her twice a day, and it seems that the simpler more consistent schedule is benefitting her as the telephone calls (and video chat when carer is there) are far calmer than normal.
We are slowly working through the task list https://chrismarshall.ws/covid-19-diary-task-list and the days do seem to be passing as quickly as ever https://chrismarshall.ws/covid-19-diary-get-a-structure
I am spending more time on Twitter and once the cricket season starts have a couple of people I look forward to meeting, and it would be remiss of me not to point out that so far I have had interaction with Sir Geoffrey Boycott, Reverend Richard Coles, David Lloyd and my old mate Jon Gaunt!
Keep Safe, Be Kind!