Covid-19 Diaries 28th June 2020

28 June 20

Posted at 4:15

Shop windowsShops are Closed

So for over three months non essential shops have been closed, online has been the only way to shop. As its not been possible to go out anywhere there has been little need to shop anyway.

Recently there has been some easing, so for example you could queue to go into a do it yourself shop as opposed to click and collect. Two metre social distancing and only six people allowed in the store at a time then one in one out.

Queue outsideThe queue at Wickes

So you join a ziggy zaggy queue which is all very civil, the good weather helps, and slowly shuffle along at two meter intervals for about 40 minutes. Once in the store it is similar to supermarkets, calm, empty, no kids, no hustle, so you soon make up time queueing for an altogether more calming experience. No good if you are in a rush or stressed though.

Checkout in masks

Then there is a shorter queue to checkout. Wearing of masks is the cause of much debate. They are now compulsary on public transport, well to be accurate, face covering is compulsary. To specify masks may have led to a shortage of PPI so people are encouraged to make their own or cover up with a scarf. The theory is you won't spread the virus through coughs so wearing a mask protects others, saves lives and protects the NHS. Our culture does not warm to mask wearing as the South East Asians do but we don't have the chronic pollution they have suffered for years. From what I see we are not very good at it, folk wear masks under their chins, over mouth only and they constantly fiddle with them. I suspect the same masks are worn day in  day out so are no doubt mobile virus containers. My preference is to just steer clear of people.

We have now had the announcement that from July 4th we are moving down to phase three which means pubs and restaurants can open if Covid compliant, non essential shops may open, from July 6th travel to certain countries is allowed without quarantine on return and we can meet in groups of 6 or eight (I'm not sure) with social distancing and people in a 'bubble' where you can even hug and stuff. this is severely limited though.

Meantime in America there have been over 125,000 deaths, a second wave is hitting Texas and Florida and lockdown is being reintroduced, similar in South America and India. At home some events, the Black Lives Matter protests, Liverpool winning the Premier League (behind closed doors) and numerous illegal street parties/music events (the drugs trade has dried up with the endning of the night time economy so drug dealers are funding street gatherings at music events to create a market) and as its been over 30 degrees for a few days muppetts have flocked to beaches in their thousands. All of these events have incurred an abolition of social distancing so we are holding our breath for three or four weeks to see if a second wave hits us. It seems inevitable!! and this is before the pubs open next weekend. It is difficult to understand the mentality of my fellow citizens.

There has been much criticism of our government and our test track and trace system. Yesterday my daughter woke up with a temperature and aches (symptoms requiring action). At midday yesterday my daughter, her husband and her son registered online for a test, drove just six miles to take it, we live in a rural area. This morning at eight o clock, just 20 hours after taking the test, they received their results, thankfully all negative. Personally I don't think that is bad at all. The experience of them going through that process, and the fact that we had contact with them the day before, brought home the reality of the situation and the madness of those who are ignoring the advice of the medical professionals and the government.

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