Well, time for a blog post. I keep putting it off as, tbh, I fear that putting pen to paper will only cause an big outpouring of grief and venom but . . . it needs to be done. And one reason for this blog and the previous narrowboat blog, was to provide a visual diary for when we are (more) gaga and need a reminder of what we got up to. But in this blog, it’s more of a time capsule for those survive the virus and dig this up when we’re gone . . .any day now, if this government (UK) has it’s way.
We feel we are just sitting at home waiting for the virus to come to us. Every news story seems to be bleak. We look at other countries and are amazed at how things are back to normal – my nephew in Perth . . .back down the pub*. Only 25 dead in New Zealand. Only 909 dead in the whole of Australia. . . .here, the UK has 106,000 dead, so far . . .to us, it seems so simple, close the borders but no, it looks like they are putting the economy ahead of the people, again. I came across the Swiss Cheese model for damage control – originally for disaster analysis in health, aviation etc but much more significant for this current virus:
I think that this an easily to understand analogy – the trouble is we haven’t had that many layers and people need to understand that no single layer (like getting a vaccine) will be 100% successful. To be really safe you need more layers – such as CLOSE THE BORDER. The virus has no legs, IT doesn’t move – people move it! In fact today (02/02/21) we hear that 20,000 people/day are entering this country, bringing in different variants of the virus . . .thus making your recent jab less effective . . .maybe only 50-60%. But then, the main reason we are one of the worst countries in the world (more deaths per million) is that we have this chap in charge:
*more about the recent Perth lockdown – one person (yes, just one person) tested positive and Wham! The Oz gov shutdown the border instantly, tracked all his contacts – published them. When I say, shut down, I mean a hard border with barriers and police . .not a vague Tier 4… leaving it up to the populace to lockdown https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-02/this-is-perth-in-lockdown/13108940
But no one seems culpable – no one accepts the blame – no one resigns . . .this New Statesman article is brilliant at describing Boris . . .
Meanwhile, life, for the time being, goes on . . .Steve is making his 4th batch of beer and has bought a bottle washer and a bottle stacker plus some bottle caps – although unsure of the name (imported from Italy, lucky to get them but Corona?). There is some sign of Spring as we have daffodils coming up along with crocus, snowdrops and tulips . . .
An excellent and revealing summary of why we are so deeply up s**t creek! Courage, mes braves! As you say, Spring is on the way and nature is starting to show its resilience to give us hope.
What’s that you say? We have nature to derive hope from? Clearly you didn’t watch David Attenborough last Sunday evening or read the science because if you had done you would know that nature is stuffed as well. Hark – there tolls the bell that summons us to heaven or to hell! At least we are living here where we have some respite from full reality, but it keeps encroaching. Steve’s home brew seems to be the anaesthetic (or should that be euthanasia) we all need. As I say, courage mes braves and keep communicating. 🙂
Thanks for that! We’re all doomed! Nature too. Not sure Gaia will survive either . . .still, not our planet . . . . now, where’s that Mother Ship??