It is two weeks since measures started being put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19. Currently those who are in at risk groups have been asked to self-isolate for 3 months. Anyone with the headline symptoms – a persistent new cough and a high temperature/fever – are being told to self-quarantine for 7 days – similarly for 14 days if anyone in the household is affected. They are advised to stay indoors – leaving only for exercise at a same distance from other people (at least 2 metres from anyone). The latest NHS Information can be found here
Those who are not considered at risk are to continue with the standard advice – regular handwashing, minimising social contact – ‘social distancing’ – minimising contact with anyone. Shops are starting to limit their opening hours, and many are now are only accepting card and contactless payments. It’s hard to find words to express the mood of the community. For the most part people are doing what they can to look after themselves and their own. As I ran errands in town today – visiting the Post Office, the bank, my mobile phone provider – I found myself subconsciously listening for my phone’s news alert tone, and checking the time – waiting I realised, for 5pm, and the now daily press conference from the Government, and wondering what the next steps would be. Hoping for more hopeful news. Today there was good news, and people do appear to be taking on board the advice for the most part, at least in this city. There are however signs of problems which are easily visible. Today I saw a man yelling at no-one in particular that the virus was the fault of China and Chinese people, and that all Chinese people in the UK should be expelled from the country – this in a city which once saw the same rhetoric against Jewish people lead to mass murder. Of course the man had nothing to say on the fact that one of the most right wing governments in modern British history has been in power for ten years and has systematically under funded / de-funded both healthcare, social care, and medical research. This kind of anti-migrant hatred Is one of the things about this which makes me nervous.
From a scientific standpoint there is a lot of work going on, unseen, across the world to fight this pandemic. The virus itself can be destroyed on surfaces by ordinary soap and water, or by 80%+ alcohol gel – because the coating which surrounds the DNA of the virus Is weak – much weaker than MRSA for example. At the root of this pandemic, and the lack of preparation, is a consistent willingness by governments and populations to ignore the warnings of academics and experts. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, claims no-one saw this coming – yet on YouTube 4 years ago at a TED event Bill Gates can be heard stating clearly that we are not ready for the next major pandemic. The warnings were there – but no-one listened. It is hard to explain the feelings of those who have been worried about exactly this kind of scenario for years. There is no joy in having been proved right - if anything there is a sense of guilty that maybe somehow we could have done more, and made ourselves heard. The truth is – nothing would have made people listen. Everything that could be done to get the message across was done. Now we have to fight the pandemic with everything we have. From an epidemiological standpoint this situation could be worse. The reality is, we need more funding, and we need more data. We need to gather every set of outbreak data we can so we can see a bigger picture of how these things spread and grow, to inform our methods of containment and treatment in an increasingly interconnected world.
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