Report From The Front Line

 

It is just a year since the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic started. Perhaps time for an update.

In the UK we have had 104,701 deaths and some 3.7 million reported cases. Just how accurate these figures are is somewhat difficult to judge. There is no doubt that the numbers are inflated in some way by the way in which they are reported. Some cases are reported as Coronavirus related when in fact the death is possibly from some other factor. The fact remains however that we have been hit badly.

Many of the ‘knockers’ of the government in the UK are happy to gloat that they have made numerous errors in the handling of the pandemic, but one thing which they conveniently tend to ignore is the higher incidence of population per square mile in the UK than many other countries around the world.

To give just one set of figures.

UK 638 people per square mile

Germany 230 people per square mile

France 100 people per square mile.

Added to that is the high incidence of Afro Caribbean, Black African and Asian population within the UK. This is in no way a racist comment, it is simply a reflection of the numbers from those population who have died. Many people from these communities live in multi generation households and the incidence of unwillingness to accept that the vaccine is a valid and useful tool is often higher in these communities. Add to that the fact that many of the poorest of our nation are from these peoples. Poverty, once again, is a major factor in ill heath, disease and premature death, and always has been. Only now, many many years after the death of Joseph Cadbury who established poverty levels, is this seemingly being addressed.

Yesterday I received a letter asking me to make an appointment to have my first of two Covid 19 injections. I was happy to do so and am due at Preston Grasshoppers Rugby club to have my first injection this coming Thursday. This is an enormous relief for me and my wife. She has said during the past twelve months that she has had nightmares about me contracting the virus, and due to my underlying health condition, the last she would see of me would be getting into an ambulance. So far, so good.

The numbers being infected in the north west of the UK is beginning to fall, but the death rate is still rising. Presumably this is a fallout from the slight relaxation of the rules over the Christmas period. Then, people were able to congregate and mix. The outcome was predictable, and we are now seeing the figures.

In my area the figures are as follows.

In the past seven days 316 people have been reported with the virus. A drop of 98 on previous week.

There have been two deaths, a drop of 6 in past week.

These are for the town of Chorley with a population of 33,000.

In the UK so far 7.8 million people have had their first of two doses, whilst, 478K have had their second dose of vaccine. The EU have shewn their true colours by trying unsuccessfully to block the import of vaccine into Ireland and other non EU countries. The outrage against this forced them to climb down. So much for cooperation against a common foe.

Living in a Timewarp

It’s the first day of April today, 2020. Since the 14^th March my wife and I have been living in self isolation due to our age and health conditions. We have to live like this for the next three months. Like most people we are not finding it too easy.

We do have some advantages over a lot of other people in the UK. We have a small back garden and an even smaller front one, so that if we need fresh air we don’t have to only stick our heads out of the window. We can wander around the garden and mutter to ourselves, something I’ve taken to over the past week. It’s never a very interesting conversation though.

In addition we have two dogs. One is a 16 month old Irish Wolfhound cross with a Labradoodle. He is BIG. The other recently acquired dog is a first cross with a Standard Poodle and a Golden Retriever. He is as black as the ace of spades and a ‘wick’ little monkey as they say in this part of England. I have provisionally nicknamed him Son of Satan. He is a quick, inquisitive little sod.

Ted and Reggie

For the past week or so we have had no rain, always something to brag about in this part of Lancashire. The result is that both dogs can spend a lot of time in the garden, which they do, running around like loons and generally creating havoc where they can. We have had to buy new fencing to keep the pair of them out of the spring flowers we planted (now long gone thanks to S of S). My wife was hoping to grow some vegetables at the bottom of the garden, that has been put on hold for a few days until the last lot of fencing arrived. Soon I hope.

The local Police have been going a bit over the top in the social isolation stakes. We are not supposed to go out in the car other than to shop or work (if you are still working) and only exercise once a day from your home.

For the past eight years I have been walking the dog (whichever one we have had) by taking them to the local country park one mile from our home. I take them in the car and then walk them around a small lake. The walk takes me between 20 and 40 minutes depending on how good my breathing is. I suffer from COPD. On a good day I am away from home for 26 minutes. Three minutes drive each way.

Yesterday there were two other cars in the car park. ON a normal day there are up to 60-70 cars. A good indication of how people are taking heed to the new rules of life.

As I got back to the car a police car rolled up. Drivers window came down and a rather large part time officer poked her head out. She didn’t bother to get out. We had a short conversation which ended with her threatening me with a fine of £60.00 if I didn’t move. I moved. She did suggest I walked the mile from my home to the car park. I told her about COPD and the fact that a walk around the lake was all I could manage.

It turns out that Lancashire police have issued 132 fines in the past few days since the rules were introduced. The neighbouring force of Cheshire has issued 6. The Metropolitan police covering the whole of Greater London have issued 0.

Over zealous perhaps. Whatever, They are losing a lot of support in this area.