Here in Essex, along with several other counties plus London were ‘plunged’ into Tier 2 lockdown on Saturday. I say ‘plunged’ because that’s how the media tells us it happened. I didn’t feel plunged any where thank you very much. They’d been talking about it for days. Plunged makes it sounds so more dramatic though eh? Idiots. Nor do I think it’s the worst thing in the world IF it means that the numbers get back to a more controllable level and the NHS isn’t overwhelmed. What worries me more is that this is going to be continually used as a ‘solution’ rather than finding (and no, I have NO idea) a way to move forward toward normality. I read a great post on Facebook the other day written by a friend of a friend who, unlike the majority of us, has some actual knowledge of what is going on and there was a part in it that made me smile because it’s so damn true. When did we all become experts in infectious diseases? On any given day, some wannabe expert, who might be called Genna/Mark/Brian who may or may not live in Thurrock, Torquay or Wolverhampton, gets on social and tells us what they think of this pandemic and how it’s being dealt with. Here’s what else I think (that will make NO difference to anybody’s life at all). I don’t believe that if another party were in government, we wouldn’t all be shouting at them too. To find a vaccine/up the testing capacity/whatever else we shout at them but the reality is that whether we like the rules, accept them, live by them or not, we are not responsible for roughly 78 million people and I have to tell you, sod that for a game of soldiers!! I have enough issues. If I think my anxiety is bad right now, I can’t imagine how much Gaviscon I’d have to chuck down my neck to deal with that. I have to say, if I want my haircut, I don’t go the high street with a pair of scissors and invite passer-bys to have a go. So why do I think that Genna/Mark/Brian’s opinion matters? I don’t. So Genna, Mark and Brian, can all just sod off. I read another article this morning, again, somebody’s ‘opinion’ but it said that he (the writer) and everybody he knows have no intention of playing by the new Tier 2 rules. Is that the general concensus? I don’t know. Perhaps I just don’t know enough people because everybody I know (expect one and YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) will be following the guidelines. More than anything, I just think this is about taking personal responsibility. Do I want to potentially be exposed to it? Not really. I am however encouraged that the scientists are saying that while the numbers are on the rise, the death rate is not as high as it was in April / May. Although, I can’t imagine that’s much consolation to those people who have lost loved ones. When Neens volunteered months ago at Daddy Roger’s care home, her main concern, due to his Alzheimers, was that he might forget her during lockdown. She was already feeling guilty about having to put him in the home back in January. Roger not knowing who she was when lockdown was lifted (baring in mind we didn’t know how long it was going to last) was a very real possibility and I am sure there are many examples of this having happened across families world-wide. So many people have already suffered in so many ways, and until a solution is found this is not going to get much better for any of us. I don’t want regional lockdowns to become a way of life, nobody does. But I don’t know what the answer is….and unfortunately, it seems the only way forward is by trial and error. If I have one tip for Boris, it’s this. Keep in touch with the people of this country. Listen to what people say, even if you don’t act on it, listen to them. Are you, yes YOU reading this going to play by the rules? Comment and let me know. In the meantime, I’m cooking my Sunday roast for myself and the boys as we can’t spend our Sunday with my parents which might not bother you but it means I miss out on my Mum’s lovely rice pudding.
💜dB🤘🏼