I wanted to go to Australia to spend Christmas with my daughter. I booked the flight in February. Last week Singapore Airlines cancelled it. I probably could have found another carrier but Australia is locked in, I would have to spend 2 weeks in a hotel room at my own expense.
I AM SICK OF COVID, sick of the constant talk about it, it’s everywhere, it pops up on websites. And those constant irritating recorded announcements in shops and supermarkets are driving me crazy.
I'm sick of not being able to find accurate statistics about covid. For example: a man tests positive for covid but has no symptoms. 26 days later he gets run over and dies. Covid is mentioned on the death certificate and entered as another statistic. That is not accurate recording. If a cancer patient died in a car crash would cancer be recorded as the cause of death? On Friday the covid symptom study app recorded 491 estimated cases in Chelmsford, is that the total amount tested, positive test results, people having symptoms or people seriously ill in hospital? There's too much scaremongering and not enough true facts, it's wrong to publish uncorroborated information.
This virus is going to be with us for a long time, probably forever, a vaccine isn't likely any time soon, even if one is developed it has to be tested, trialed and observed for side effects, all of which takes a lot of time. Do we want to be living like this for the next 6 months, a year, two years?
We have to suck it up and get on with life, we can’t live in fear and we cannot bankrupt our economies. I sympathise with people with compromised health, but if people are worried they have the option to stay at home, anyone with flu symptoms should stay at home. The rest of us should get on with life and go with herd immunity. Too much misery has been caused already, we should not inflict more.
We have to start living again. I'm 72, I want to live the time I have left.
I don't think I would be so angry if I was able to visit my daughter.
My summer clothes can be packed away now.
I too am weary, but I am sure that many others are too. I am contemplating not buying a 2021 diary - my 2020 one is almost unused.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you have read anything written by Dr Mike Yeadon, he has a degree in biochemistry and toxicology and a research-based PhD in respiratory pharmacology. He has spent over 30 years leading new medicines research in some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. He is very critical of the government committee Sage as he says there is not one person on the committee with his kind of knowledge or experience. Most of those doing the modelling are mathematicians - people who have never dealt with viruses etc. Something that he has spent his whole career doing.
I don't know a single soul who has had covid and I haven't come across anyone who has.
ha, ha, I didn't think about a 2021 diary. I've never had a diary with so many blank pages in it! I will take a look at Dr Yeadon, thank you for the info Rosemary.
DeleteSorry to hear that your Christmas plans have fallen through.
ReplyDeleteI was so looking forward to seeing my daughter, 2017 was the last time I saw her.
Deleteit is hard to stay positive in these times. I too am sorry to hear your Christmas plans have been cancelled. We are living in trying times.
ReplyDeleteThank you Marie, hopefully I will be able to go next year, or she will come here.
DeleteI empathize with you for your ruined plans. It’s doubly hard because it’s family and the holidays, not just a vacation. I’m weary of it all and I won’t listen to the news anymore. They love to focus on the outliers (healthy 30 YO who dies of Covid) since that’s shocking. Vast majority are elderly with pre-existing conditions. You’re right that the statistics mean very little anymore.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Bijoux, it is family, it's three years since I've seen my Aussie daughter. News reporters are only interested in sensationalism and making money.
DeleteYou are not alone in these feelings of frustration, Polly. I would welcome constant holiday music in stores now vs. those SO annoyingly and constant recordings. Our Canadian travel plans were cancelled for Sept, but unfortunately the company wants to issues future travel vouchers, not refunds. I'm sorry to read your awaited holiday travel was cancelled. Your comments about these virus numbers and what they do and don't mean are on point. Why don't statistics on flu deaths and other illness, take cancer, get high visibility. I'm sick of all the news as well and being nearly the same age, agree that living our lives "on hold" can't be a continual option.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you only got travel vouchers Beatrice. I did get a full refund.
DeleteRant away. We're all sick of it. I am supposed to be in England now. I don't know for sure what they do here if someone dies in a car crash and has Covid. I suppose it might matter if they were the driver. But if one has cancer and gets covid, it is a covid death. And probably should be as many cancer patients might not be anywhere near death from that or responding well to treatment and if covid didn't destroy their system, they'd be fine. It's a dilemma.
ReplyDeleteOh Jeanie, I'm sorry your plans have been cancelled as well. I hope our holidays will happen next year x
DeleteI agree the amount of virus coverage is ridiculous - acres of it every day. A couple of news pages would be quite enough for a daily summary of developments. And yes, there are just as many hospital admissions and deaths from other causes but they're seen as less important. The number of virus cases is made much of, but it's still a very small percentage of the total population - in Northern Ireland around .022 per cent.
ReplyDeleteSorry you had to cancel your Australia trip after looking forward to it for so long. Hopefully next December you'll be able to travel.
Thank you Nick, I hope so too.
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