Global Cases 1,929,225
Global Deaths 119,758
UK Cases 88,621
UK New Deaths 717 Total Deaths 11,329
It’s the first day of the new routine. Didn’t quite manage to get showered and dressed before 9, but it’s 8.58 and I’m writing this so that’s something! Ok, I didn’t wake up until 8 and “looked at my phone” until 8.30 until M woke up. My turn to make the coffee this morning so I’m drinking it in bed with my lap-top. My phone is on silent!
Yesterday, we got up so late that by the time I had done a bit of writing – essentially this blog and the second draft of my homework for Friday, it was time for our bike ride. We did the 8 mile one but it was tough because it was really windy!
Watched a bit of the Great British Menu, cooked Crab and Chilli Pasta for dinner then we watched Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) from Saturday and the first episode of the new season of Killing Eve.
A strange thing happened when we watched BGT. M says he doesn’t like it because it’s rubbish TV (which of course it is) but I like it because it always makes us smile. Ok, it is set-up to do that and probably totally contrived and manipulative – I’m not stupid! But, I like it! It’s feel-good TV. Who cares if it’s fake or whatever?
As soon as it started I felt very emotional. Just watching the opening credits I felt tearful. Watching groups of dancers and singers on their way to their auditions, arm in arm, happy and smiling. It just made me feel really sad. Obviously, it was all filmed before the lockdown. The first act was a girls school gospel choir. As soon as they starting singing I felt myself welling up. When I heard M sniffling beside me I turned to him and we both cried for a little bit.
I’ve been trying to understand what was going on and I think it could have been a number of things. A simple emotional reaction to their singing? (It felt like more than that) Sorrowful joy, seeing all their happy shining faces pre-coronavirus, not knowing what was to come? Grief (I hope that’s not too strong a word), for what we have lost (hopefully not forever)? I honestly don’t really know, but it was a strange, and very honest, moment between us.
France have announced that they will be extending their lockdown until the 11th of May, but, interestingly, have started to outline their exit strategy for after that. They will open schools and some businesses but not bars, restaurants and cinemas, essentially not anywhere where people can’t maintain safe distances from each other. It will involve continued isolation for vulnerable people.
The UK have said we are unlikely to be ending our own lockdown any time soon.
I also read an article in The Guardian about some scenarios that an NHS IT modelling company have been asked to run for the government. One of the scenarios they were asked to run was a targeted herd immunity strategy. This involved protecting high risk individuals and allowing the virus to run its course in the rest of the population until herd immunity (60% infection) is achieved. Clearly this has been leaked, but it was submitted to them on the 23rd of March, after the 14th of March when the government denied that they were pursuing a herd immunity strategy. What it that tells me, is that it’s still not off the table, but they are balancing this approach with the capacity of the NHS.
There is a lot of talk now about what I was saying the other day about the underreporting of deaths due to the exclusion of figures from care homes and the community. The ONS have released some figures today which suggest actual Covid deaths are much higher than those reported by the government.
Right! It’s almost 10am and today I’m going to do some work on Key Ways Consulting between now and 12.
jswritingservices.com 