COVID-19 Diary: Week Two

Two down, anybodies guess how many more to go, but to borrow a phrase – one day at a time!

On the personal front the week has been OK. We made a few minor tweaks to our daily routine: we are fortunate that we can still walk the dogs, but we have changed venue and taken the opportunity to do a shorter, daily walk, which for me means a (short) run rather than a long walk, supplemented with a workout at home to keep the old body in as good a shape as possible – OK, it could be a LOT better but judge me when we emerge from self isolation!

So far food has not been a problem, and was better than last week as Tesco delivered everything on our order (we have never ordered 80 items at a time, and stuck easily within the three items per product limit), although it is noticeable how far ahead you have to book now. The local CoOp had everything that we wanted fresh food wise, and we were able to get everything on my parents list both times we visited.

My parents are coping well, and staying indoors with the exception of a weekly trip to Aston Marina who have come up with a new initiative of providing a fresh meal each day that can be collected so to avoid going stir crazy my parents are doing this once a week, but it does not involve leaving the car which is great. In fact my father (with some support from moi) has been providing technical advice and support to a number of their friends who have now decided that WhatsApp is a good idea for both video calling and Group Chats …….

We are taking food to them twice a week, and they continue to order online, so they are just getting on with things: they have ordered some Box Sets, have Netflix, Prime and Sky, have Charmin to entertain them (when he is awake) and we are video calling them every evening.

Sandra’s mother is self isolating in Formby, but still has he carer three hours a day, so while not at all perfect, she is calm, well fed, and in good spirits.

We rarely eat out, or indeed get a take away, so that hasn’t really been an impact, although I am sure the first Fish and Chip evening with my parents post COVID-19 will taste better than usual, and we don’t go to the pub (none within walking distance), BUT I have noticed a change in my drinking pattern. As a rule I am not a habitual (daily) drinker, but when I do drink I am not one to observe the ‘drink sensibly’ measures. I do like a ‘good’ drink on a Sunday over a long lunch, and I can keep up with the best of them on a day at the rugby or cricket. Now though I am drinking pretty much every day, but just a beer or glass of wine with dinner and maybe a whisky in the evening. Judging by the number of empties my weekly consumption is less, but am not expecting that to be a long term lifestyle change!

We don’t live in a big community – 7 properties, but we set up a WhatsApp group which most have joined so we have been able to share the numerous humorous videos and images that circulate, as well as offering a general communication channel for those on their own. Funny isn’t it but I suspect that I am not alone that in has take self isolation for neighbours to communicate with each other, and without exception everyone I have dealt with to date has been pleasant, supportive, considerate and striving to be jolly. Shout out here to Tesco Delivery drivers, staff at CoOp and Marks & Spencers and the various (Amazon, ZooPlus, DPD) Delivery drivers.

They always said a week was a long time in Politics and that has certainly seemed the case, but I remain complimentary about the quality and content of the briefings and actions been taken, but let’s not forget that the two major issues (NHS capacity and the many cases of people being incapable of understanding (or adhering to) what is required are down to failings of successive Governments who have failed to resource the NHS adequately, or educate the population sufficiently. Now is not the time to point fingers, but they will need pointing, and resolving and I am concerned that nobody has thought yet to postpone Brexit until such times as a) we have addressed COVID and understood fully the impact it has had and b) rebuilt our economy and social fabric. Brexit always did need a solid foundation to build on, and that is just not the case for the foreseeable future.

I would like to have heard the Government talking about the Circle of Risk. Diagrams showing that people can identify their own contact circle and overlay the impact of other (family, colleagues, required activities) peoples circles on them. The maths and science is simple: stay in, see as few people as you can both in terms of number, frequency and variety, wash your hands, exercise and eat well, and accepting this is a marathon not a sprint, don’t build expectations that this will be over any day (or indeed month) soon.

Keep Safe, Be Nice