Monday 23 March 2020

Coronavirus - ongoing


Hi again.

So - I wrote about the Corona-virus just two days ago - at that time the figures were:

Total world cases:  288,593
Total fatalities:  11,947
UK total:  4.104
UK Fatalities: 178

Today the figures are:

Total world cases:  346,877
Total fatalities:  14,914
UK total:  5,748
UK Fatalities: 281

The cases across the world - other than China and South Korea - are just going up and up - and hospitals are starting to struggle - especially in Italy - who seem to have the most cases.  Although our London hospitals are struggling - it hasn't hit the rest of the country hard yet - I suspect that it will however - and this is the MOST scary thing - if we need care to get over this - it might get so crazy that only a fraction of people will get that help and so the death rate will rocket - and most of us will probably lose somebody we love - or our own lives.

Andy had a moment last night - talking about not coming in contact with ANYBODY as he is worried that he might not survive or at least he will really suffer and find it hard.  He is worried because he has high blood pressure, has had asthma in the past....I am having the same panic even though really I am quite healthy - because you just never know!!

I have started to think - we should write a will.  I was even thinking this morning that I should write letters to my kids and Andy, which they will eventually find should I die...

The government put a lot of things in place to stop people mixing - and some idiots are ignoring it.  There were pictures in the news this morning of a very busy flower market in London yesterday.  WHAT!!??  People WILL absolutely die because of those people mixing yesterday!!  At the same time, I was informed this morning that my training course due to start next Monday (one week today) is still running...I have mixed feelings.  My biggest fear is that I catch the virus and bring it back home to Andy.  I expect today that the Government will impose a lock down and we will get much tougher on the idiots who think they are invincible and are not intelligent enough to realise that they are helping to spread the virus.  So....me going back to work after 3 years at the time the country has gone crazy seems a little strange.

I have emailed to ask what measures have been put in place - and what I can expect after the training and in the normal working day.  That will be interesting to know - if they reply!

So - Ocado who we have used for our shopping deliveries for years - said they would honour regular customers orders - have cancelled my order.  I had told my elderly neighbour that I will order her shopping for her along side my own - now I don't have a delivery slot!  So looks like I am going to have to venture out for supplies at some point...

Just in the time I have been writing this - the total world cases of the virus has increased by almost 1000.  As it is spreading, it is speeding up....

This virus will change things in the world that will never go back the same again - politics, jobs, the economy - many things I can't even appreciate at the moment.

I know soon - I'll be reporting here that the UK cases have plateaued and eventually will start going down - but where are we going to end up before that happens?

I was supposed to be with Lissa when she has the baby - and it was something that meant so much to me...already I know I won't be there - and rather than feel really disappointed - all I can think of is how hard it will be for her - having a baby in a chaotic world, where she wont be able to have any visitors and the hospital might be swamped - it could put her and the baby in danger.  This is the same for Erika who is due twins in July - for her it might be much worse by then - or the opposite.....

So much uncertainty at the moment.  If I was religious I'd be praying that all the people I love will come out of this unharmed.


UPDATE

So our shopping deliveries are now uncertain - I said to Andy I might just have a drive around to our local tesco and see what the situation is - I looked up our local Tesco online and found this image...


That image was taken this morning.  So - I expect we will see the numbers of infected will rise in Taunton today!  There is no way I am going out shopping with all those people totally ignoring the social segregation advice!  We won't starve.  Andy was very stressed when I told him Ocado had cancelled our order - we have enough on our plate not knowing if Andy is going to lose his job and in turn we lose the house, without worrying about getting supplies.  I guess however, as I will be out and about next week - I'll be able to hunt and gather if needed.  

BTW it is now midday and the world figures are now: 352,398 - 6,000 (ish) increase in a few hours.  The death figure is 15,330 - an increase of 416 - in just a few hours! The UK just added another 4 deaths...

Scary times.