I guess there are many people disappointed after Boris Johnson failed to lift the lockdown but looking at social media, it seems that many who are happy for it to continue as so many people still don’t feel safe from the Corona Virus.
This is no surprise. The virus is very easily transmitted from person to person, there is no natural immunity and, as yet, no vaccine. The broadcast and written press have quite rightly in my view given enormous coverage to the pandemic, a situation that most of us today have never experienced before. However they do seem to rehash the same stories over and over again, seemingly just to fill the allotted time in the schedules. All this bad news must contribute to a general feeling of helplessness and even panic.
To counter this they tell us about Major Tom Moore, an amazing and inspirational man, raising millions for the NHS, walking laps of his garden at 99 years of age, never giving up, just doing his bit every day. Fame seemed to come as a surprise to him but how he handled it! Always smiling, pin sharp mind, and a great sense of humour. He deserved all the plaudits he received and watching his 100th birthday celebrations on TV, including a wonderful fly-past with a Spitfire and Hurricane, was very emotional.
The local stations also do their bit highlighting the work of local heroes: community help, fund raising and making PPE at home but it just seems that they could all have done a little more to help raise peoples moods. Let’s hope that the changes announced over the last couple of days will help, especially those cooped up in places such as high rise flats who must almost be driven crazy by hardly being allowed out for six weeks.
I am very lucky in as much as my job gets me out and about across Southern England a couple of times a week. No furloughing for me! When I am out, listening to the radio gives some very interesting insights into how people are coping with lockdown. As we know, many are not coping well, with financial worries, the frustration of not being able to go out and the general disruption of and changes to the life that we have lived over many years. I have discovered, however, that some people are actually enjoying it! I heard one lady saying that she has surprised herself by discovering that, far from being the gregarious social person she thought she was, she was actually enjoying being a hermit. She loved the time spent on her own and resented having to go out for shopping and the like, hoping that she would not have to go back to “normal” life! I guess there are many changes to normality that we will all have to cope with over the coming months.
There are however many positives. On a very selfish note, as a van driver, I have noticed how quiet the roads can be. On Easter Sunday in Devon and Cornwall, the main roads were almost deserted! Last Sunday, I went eastwards towards Sussex and, once again, all the main roads and motorways were very quiet. Although I know there were lockdown issues elsewhere, it seems that the vast majority of people have been sticking to the rules which, I am certain, has helped to start the reduction of the death and infection rates. And let’s not forget, the overwhelming majority of those infected have recovered.
Also on the plus side: I may have mentioned this before but I live in a very rural area and in normal times the road through the village can be very busy. Not now! Most of the time it is very quiet with the biggest difference being no-one driving children to and from the school and nursery. To hear the birdsong is just wonderful. The other thing I noticed is just how clear the air is. Amazing to see just how much of a difference there is in such a short time. Is it too much to hope for that this will be maintained? My hope is that as we get through this crisis, we look at how we live and realise some of the positive changes that could be made and the good that could come out of embracing those changes. Wishful thinking maybe but I am ever the optimist.
I hope I haven’t bored you all with my thoughts. If I can manage to write a bit more regularly, maybe each blog will be shorter! As always, I look forward to hearing from you and if, by chance, you do enjoy my scribblings, please let other people know.
Stay safe and stay well.
Pete's Blog. Dorset and Beyond 