It’s still cold here in Yorkshire. I stayed in and spent the morning working on Captain Beefheart book and playing some Sandy Denny. Amazing how time flies.
I’ve just returned from a very pleasant extended lunch with a friend. We discussed my Harper, Book, the Beefheart book, Sci-fi books, travel and the restrictions, risks and mismanagement of the covid pandemic.
Isn’t it good to have a chat with friends? One of the things we discussed was the level of risk that we were engaging in by meeting up. We met in an airy library cafe which had about a dozen other people in and did not appear to be extremely well ventilated. We wore masks to enter and used hand sanitiser, but even so there was a risk. The virus is aerosol spread and hangs in the air. We could have breathed it in.
But…. we are both double-jabbed, fit and healthy and not obese. We are old though.
We agreed that life is all about taking calculated risks and risks such as these were small enough.
When I’ve had my booster shot I will feel safe again. After six months I know my second jab will be waning.
Meanwhile, out in Coronaland, the sleaze levels might just be breaking through with the general public. Is the bubble of these profiteering arrogant Tories beginning to burst? We’ll see.
On a personal level I feel sorry for Owen Paterson. The suicide of his wife is terrible. But he was found guilty of sleaze, of repeated illegal lobbying. For Johnson to try to change the parliamentary procedures on sleaze to protect him. The procedures are there for a reason. Breaking the rules is a big deal. They are nowhere near stringent enough in the first place. There are far too many backhanders, bribes and donations that all allowed. The system stinks. Johnson showed complete contempt for parliament. The problems are that the arrogant overprivileged twat is used to having whatever he wants, he has no respect for the law or procedures and with an eighty seat majority, and a ineffective opposition, he feels he can do exactly what he likes. There is no scrutiny or accountability.
If only the Labour Party would get its act together and start functioning. They have so much ammunition they should be 20 points ahead. This bunch of ERG extremists led by an incompetent clown are the worst government in history.
They need voting out!!!
Voting Labour is voting for the lesser of two evils. They too are controlled by the wealthy elite, but at least they fund the public services and look after the poor and working people better. I know this from my time in education. The differences between Tory and Labour is stark. Tories are a nightmare. Inequality has blossomed, public services have been decimated and the rich have become richer. It’s obscene.
Yesterday there were another 36,559 new cases with 214 deaths. We’re getting blase about having 1500 – 2000 deaths a week aren’t we?
The WHO points out that Europe is once again the epicentre of the pandemic. I bet Johnson is so glad he allowed the Delta variant into the country from India. We now have the delta+ variant which we have spread around the world. It’s becoming the British disease. We’ve taken over from China.
Perhaps the high levels of people with the virus in the UK and low levels around the world reflects the high level of testing we are doing?? Or perhaps it indicates the pathetic management of the pandemic by our incompetent government? I veer towards a mixture of the two.
The good news is that the Pfizer antiviral drug Paxlovid has completed trials and appears to be safe and 89% effective at preventing serious illness and 100% effective at preventing death.
It joins (as soon as approved) Molnupiravir (Lagevrio) as a major step in treatment.
Once we have effective treatments we can get back to normal!! Yipppeeee!!!
Until then – Ventilate, ventilate ventilate!!
Stay safe!! Our end is nigh!!