The Corona Diaries – Day 321

It is still very mild and the sun is shining!! That’s good.

I went for my usual five mile walk up my hill. That was the 321st consecutive 5 mile+ walk!! I was peering at myself in the mirror yesterday at my ripped body – like a Greek Adonis. Which reminds me of two things – I mist make that appointment with specsavers and I need to check with the doctors if they do dementia checks.

I’ve been playing Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Moanin’ In The Moonlight’. It is an album I was introduced to by Dick Brunning way back in 1964. Happy days!!

Meanwhile, out in Coronaland, our bumbling government (yes those who have the worst record in the world for coronavirus deaths and also the worst record for damage to the economy) have suddenly discovered an extra 1.7 million people who are highly vulnerable and should have been shielding. Gosh, it is so easy to misplace a million or two people. Isn’t it surprising that they should discover all these 1.7 million people right at the time that they are about to be vaccinated? There’s no financial aspect to that, is there?

I think we have got used to looking at the effect of this Covid pandemic in terms of new cases, deaths and hospital admissions. This is because that is what the media is focusing on. But there is a more insidious effect that is not reported on – Long Covid.

It seems that a large number of people who have caught Covid-19 go on to have serious symptoms that last for longer than six weeks, longer than twelve or perhaps for life. This is given the name of ‘Long Covid’.

The symptoms include shortness of breath, loss of energy, fever, brain fog, palpitations, chest pains, loss of sense of smell, muscle aches and damage to internal organs.

A large number of people suffer with this, including young people.

This disease doesn’t just effect lungs and old people. It affects every organ in the body and can cripple young people too.

As for how many people suffer from Long Covid – we don’t know. There are no reliable statistics. We just know it’s a lot.

Out in India the number of covid cases has fallen dramatically and nobody seems to know why??? Something is at work?

In New Zealand there has been a complete tragedy – someone has died of covid! They are probably holding a state funeral and inquest. In the UK and USA the levels continue to come down. It just goes to show how accustomed we are to the high numbers – only having 1707 deaths in the USA and 799 deaths in the UK yesterday now seems like low figures!!

Vietnam is struggling to contain their outbreak with another 42 cases recorded yesterday (what would we give to only have 42 cases!!)

The vaccine has now been administered to over a fifth of the population and the effects are becoming apparent. There is even talk of a staged lifting of lockdown restrictions.

Stay safe. Life as we know it is about to end!!

The Corona Diaries – Day 321

It appears that the Beast From the Baltic has arrived! I was woken by the sound of frozen snow blustering against the window! It is cold and windy but that did not prevent me from taking my walk! Instead of my customary walk up the hill we set off for an excursion to Cattleholmes – a small clump of houses a few miles away! The wind was bitter as it blew across the fields (a few more hedges would not go amiss) and the frozen snow stung the face! I think you can call it bracing. I certainly earnt my 321st consecutive 10,000 steps!!

I’m not sure how the birds can survive these low temperatures. I’m dressed up in thick coat, scarf, gloves, hat and hood. Their little naked legs are uncovered. I’d certainly opt for migration!

Back home we warmed up with a cornish pasty and cup of tea!

Today I’ve been editing the Roy Harper book and playing some Ry Cooder. Great stuff!!

We were just reflecting on how lucky we are. Being retired we receive a steady income without having to worry about losing our job and income. We have our own home, enough money to keep us warm and provide food and wine. I have a wealth of books and music. We both have lots of interests. There isn’t enough time to fit everything in. We are in the countryside with fabulous walks. None of our family have been put out of work or have become really ill with Covid. And we have each other and Liz hasn’t killed me yet!

How lucky is that?

After nearly a year of isolation and lockdown we still feel frustrated and wearisome. We crave for some proper contact with friends and family. We miss gigs, theatre and cinema. We’re completely spoilt!

Every now and then it’s good to think of the less fortunes – the homeless out on the streets in this cold, the refugees with no home to go too and an uncertain future, those who are poor and don’t have enough to eat or are unable to heat their homes. It makes me feel guilty!

Out there in Coronaland it is definitely looking as if things are improving. The number of covid cases continue to come down (here and in the States) – 18,262 new cases yesterday. The number of deaths are also coming down – 828 yesterday.

It’s been six days since we had our first jabs. The immunity will be starting to set in.

As more people become vaccinated herd immunity will begin to set in. I am hopeful that by summer we will be able to get back to normal.

We should be inspired by places such as Vietnam and New Zealand. Vietnam had a spike of a hundred new cases. They used their local shut down, track, trace and isolate and appear to have got on top of it. Likewise New Zealand is doing the same.

Unlike our bunch of clowns they did not allow the virus to get out of hand. They were prepared. They locked down, shut borders, tested, tracked and isolated. They are back to normal.

We let it get completely out of control, had ineffective systems and now have 111,000 deaths instead of 25!!

It appears that the more virulent Kent variant is spreading fast in our area – Hull and East Riding. It also appears that the South African variant makes the vaccine far less effective. We’ll need a tweaked booster in the Autumn to cope with these variants!

The sooner the world gets vaccinated the better. The smaller the reservoir of virus the less mutations!

So stay safe!! Nigh is at an end!!