Another “lockdown” was on the cards, as soon as restrictions began to be lifted. Firstly, the initial “lockdown” was half-arsed and half-hearted. Secondly, apart from preventing the N.H.S. from being overwhelmed, what was the point of it? Thirdly and probably most important, in my view, at the time; when we went into “lockdown” there were 70-odd deaths. When we came out, there were over 600. Sense? Fourthly… did I say that numbers were most important? It’s a PANdemic so, why would you permit international travel? ?? ??? Fifthly, the easements came too rapidly and in such quick succession that there was no way of assessing the impact of each. Sixthly and probably the single most important factor; people are stupid.
Granted, we didn’t know an immense amount about this virus, when it first emerged but there are 4 things that we all know to be true and still remain true, which should influence our behaviour, despite anything else that we are told, or NOT told and they are these: it is communicable (contagious, infectious, in short, you can give it to and catch it from other people), it is respiratory, it is fatal and there is no cure. People tend to avoid people who are sick, or suspect could be (remember AIDS and the irrational response?) yet, with this disease, people seem not to care. It is more important that people go on holiday, or to the pub etc. Surely, self preservation is the driving force? Avoid catching this thing in the first place. It is human behaviour that is driving this thing and as rubbish as this government appears to be, it relies on people to do what is necessary, to change their behaviour, which, evidently, they do not want to do. I have witnessed this at first hand, in supermarkets (I was fortunate enough to get a job in one), in the tube, in the street, not to mention what I have seen on the television yet, we all saw, on the news, hundreds of dead and dying; in Italy, in Spain, in Brasil, in the U.S.A. and here. A pal of mine’s girlfriend’s best friend died from it. She was 19. A colleague of mine died from it. My sister had it and is okay but one of her colleagues, who didn’t take it seriously and allegedly had no obvious symptoms, has scarred lungs, Media are really not helping, confusing matters and creating the mixed messaging. We shouldn’t have needed another lockdown but people want to behave like nothing has changed and as long as they continue to do so, this thing will continue to spread and continue to kill people. We had not even gone 4 days into the original “lockdown” and high profile persons were visiting pals, having parties, sex parties, street parties, house parties, there were lock-ins, up and down the country, raves. People refusing to abide by one-way systems, people not washing their hands. People aren’t wearing masks, now, people don’t want to isolate… I get so angry! Full student experience… I don’t recall seeing parties on any prospectus. One doesn’t have to go to university to party. Blame he government all you want and the government has questions to answer but at the end of the day, it is we who are spreading this thing. People had a better idea of what to do during the Great Plague!
Since people are so keen on international comparisons and Germany was held up as the poster child of Europe, their daily new case rate is not far behind ours, their daily death rate is only about 30 shy of ours and the number of serious/ critical cases is thrice that of ours. If people don’t change their behaviour, thins thing won’t go anywhere. My industry has been all but shut down since the 16th of March and many of my colleagues have received ZERO financial support. I dread to think of what will happen if we don’t change our ways. We KNOW what to do, we shouldn’t need government to tell us. It’s a PANdemic so, it only takes one person. Selfishness doesn’t work and besides, we (mostly) live with other people so, we need to avoid giving it to, or getting it from them.
On that note, stay safe, people.