Feest Isolation Days –23 February 2021
Are we nearly there yet? That childhood refrain that came from the back of the car on long and not so long journeys is a question we are all beginning to ask. Are we nearly there yet with Covid? Sadly, the answer is not quite. Not even close! How did we reframe our answer and try to get our kids out of their funk and boredom of the back seat? Maybe some of those tips and techniques will help us all now. There were games and tapes (remember them?), if they hadn’t got all snarled up in the tape machine and it was possible to sort out and drive at the same time.
Ahhh! Tapes…Maybe we could play a few tapes and that would help? Covid has to be so tough on the kids!
To the question of “are we there yet” at the moment the answer is a resounding and heart breaking “no”. We have MILES to go yet! Last night we discovered what the plans are for unlocking the next phase of Lockdown. The Commons were given the information first and then at seven o’clock, much later than usual, Boris led a Downing Street Press conference. Now we know. The government is being cautious and there are good reasons for that. The virus is still around and remains in circulation and thus it can mutate and change to escape the vaccinations we have. Vaccination is important to protect everyone, so too is ensuring that the infection rate remains low so that we can stop so many people becoming infected and mutations become difficult for Covid. The really good news today was from real live field studies which show that the current vaccine programme is being incredibly successful.
After so many weeks and months of Lockdown, it would be grand to have an opening up of everything all at once. That isn’t possible. We have to accept that there will be a gradual return to life as we once knew it. We need to wait at least two more weeks before we can meet up with one other person outside when we will be able to sit together enjoying a coffee or a nosh on a park bench. Kids will return to school then, on the 8th March. It isn’t until the end of March that we will be allowed to meet up to six people outside – including in our own gardens. This seems such a long time away! It’s been a tough winter and we are not finished with lockdown yet!
The next date for more unlocking is 12 April. From then we will be able to go back to the hairdressers, to gyms and sit outside at pubs and restaurants. From the 17 May we will be able to meet again in a limited way indoors. From the 21 June, all restrictions will be over. Lockdown, it is hoped will end. There are five weeks between each date to ensure that the plans are working before we progress to the next stage. These dates are not set in stone, but will be led by the data.
An important part of these plans is that every adult in the country will be vaccinated by the 31st of July. Then we will begin to be able to live more normally. We have many days and weeks and months to live before we get there! What all these new measures mean is that we must carry on as we have been for a bit longer.
Plenty of time to go and find that box of tapes up in the attic and see what we were listening to all those years ago. Why not? Memory lane is not a bad place to be while we travel patiently- well, while we travel to our next destination.
No, we aren’t there yet, but it will be wonderful when we finally arrive!
With love
Kathy x