We drove back a few hundred miles from Devon yesterday. We had two weeks visiting friends, walking, taking in the sights and seeing old friends that we haven’t seen for far too long!! It was great. Not so much a holiday as a replenishing of the spirit.
It’s been strange. We have been double jabbed but we know we are still in the midst of a pandemic. The numbers are rising fast. People are still becoming extremely ill and dying. But we are confident that the vaccine will stop us becoming very ill.
It is hard meeting up. One friend is caring for a very elderly mother who is vulnerable, another has an illness that makes her vulnerable. It makes you very aware that we are not out of the woods yet. There is room for a lot of death yet!
We are out of our long period of total isolation but we are nowhere near back to normal. We have been to socially distanced theatres, gigs and cinemas. We have eaten out – outside. We stayed in B&Bs with windows open, social distancing and masks. We wear masks in shops and socially distance when passing people.
This is not normality!
It’s been a strange day today. I’m very weary. Tired after the long drive. I did not sleep well. I woke early. There was much to do – unpacking, putting things away, getting the house back into shape.
It’s strange to be back home! This is our new normality. Hopefully we will see more of friends and life will get back nearer to what it was before this virus hit.
Meanwhile, out in Coronaland, our mad scarecrow has penciled in ‘Freedom Day’ – the day all restrictions come to an end!! It is the 21st of July! Yipee!! Or is it??
The scientists are concerned about the rapidly rising number of cases. The politicians aren’t. The large numbers of new cases are not causing a surge in hospital cases. They are among the young or already vaccinated. People are not getting very ill.
So why are the scientists concerned?
Well it is not all about deaths is it? It’s not all about ventilators either! A lot of young people are ending up with ,long covid and we don’t know a lot about that! There is also the problem that the more virus in the population the most variants we produce. Allowing the virus to run rampant is tantamount to setting up ‘Variant Factories’. One or more of those variants could evade the vaccines!
That is why we have to vaccinate the world!!! And Quick!!!
But the politicians know best. They know that lifting all restrictions, including masks and social distancing, will make them popular. It’s worth the risk. ‘Freedom Day’ is a political decision. It’s about keeping Boris Johnson in power!! Nothing more.
There is also a big debate about those who have had two jabs. They are very unlikely to get very ill even if they catch the virus. They are very unlikely to spread the disease. However, if we let us loose then we cause resentment in all those who haven’t been vaccinated.
I personally don’t care about the antivaxxers. That’s their choice. If they want to dice with death and ventilators because they choose to believe right-wing propaganda then let them take the risk.
I feel sorry for the ones who can’t have the vaccine for medical reasons or haven’t been offered it yet because they are too young.
But hell. I’m jabbed. I’m safe.
What do you think? Should the jabbed population be free to travel and be free from quarantine??
I personally think so!!
Stay safe!!