COVID-19 Diary: Poignant Reminders

In all honesty I would say that the current COVID-19 Social Distancing being imposed in the UK is something that I am more aware of than affected by.

Whilst no walk in the park (they not allowed) or piece of cake (can’t get flour for love nor money) I really can’t say that we are suffering any great hardships.

Talking to Jon Gaunt recently on his podcast I identified the current situation more to a quiet Sunday from the past than anything else. I was not been flippant! Cars and lorries are still driving past us, people are walking their dogs and babies, children are playing in the gardens, shops are still open ……….

Without doubt the daily statistics paint a dramatically different picture, as do the daily press briefings, but even so they sort of enforce an element of (social) distance from the reality.

We go into the Garden to clap the amazing health workers and other impressive people that are keeping life ticking over as close to normal as possible. We thank the supermarket workers and ask them how they are doing, and shout greetings to the online delivery drivers, many of whom we have known for over a year – the dogs are very confused as to why they aren’t coming in to see them!

Then every now and again something pops up to highlight the severity and impact.

In the very early days of COVID-19 a school friend from America died from a heart attack (not related to COVID-19). A shock and very upsetting, but not as sad as watching the funeral streamed by his brother online because nobody was allowed to attend.

Or on social media watching them disinfect the streets of Almerimar, our home for nearly twenty years and where we still have a property and many friends.

Like many we watched the Andrea Bocelli concert from Milan on YouTube, a reminder of an exceptional concert we went to last year, and a salient reminder of the current situation. The concert was great, the images of deserted cities (Milan, Paris, London) though were by far the strongest images from the event, and for me a real reminder of just how much of an impact COVID-19 is having (I suggest they use these images alongside the graphs to highlight the severity – a picture paints a thousand words and all that).

It continues: the coverage on the news of the 3 minute per person funerals in Italy, held at the doors of the church with the coffins still in the hearses, an old family friend receiving palliative care for a long term illness, with family and friends torn between letting them go or wanting them to hold on until they can have a proper funeral, a friends father in law passing on (again a long term illness not COVID-19 related), with no hope of a family funeral.

So for all the heart felt clapping, the excellent humour online, the amazing efforts of Captain Tom, let’s not forget that currently the world is throwing up some real shit for many people!

Stay Safe, Be Kind!