The new 'normal'

As you can see, the Jerusalem artichokes have shot up during the pandemic. We are facing a new 'normal' which is living with coronavirus until a vaccine can be found. This means learning to live a somewhat restricted life with covid 19 in the community.

We will still be practising safe distancing, keeping the 2 meter rule until told otherwise. We will be keeping apart but in our minds and in our souls together. This means that I still can't hug my mum or go out into large group situations including shopping and attending weddings or funerals.

We live in fear of a second spike of the virus as some countries already have done.So we are still distancing here in Wales.The rules are different in England where the recent bout of hot dry weather with temp in the 30's, saw overcrowding in beaches .People were tempted to drive for hours to the coast.Not good.

So I will be posting as the situation changes, but this probably won't happen so frequently as the changes are becoming more gradual.  

As you can see, there has been a relaxing of the coronavirus rules from the Welsh government today. The easing of the lockdown rules means that I am on a waiting list to have a hairdressers appointment....Yay!

The Protests.

As we relax the rules for lockdown, the numbers of deaths and those contracting the virus have dropped. Funnily enough, we're all getting used to this way of life.

There's no doubt that the worldwide restrictions have led to a better environment - the wildlife has began to thrive. For example, in Llandudno the wild goats have invaded the town and are eating their way through peoples gardens. I was last there in January and they seemed so shy and skittish that they wouldn't say boo to a goose. But now, they roam freely. About 100 of them.

Another thing that has happened during the pandemic started is the riots and protests.Just over a week ago, George Floyd was killed by a police officer in the US. This event has sparked a wave of US based and then world wide protests - mainly peaceful but some violent clashes with the police. Floyd was killed because of the colour of his skin. So the black Lives Matter protests have grown from that terrible event into a global cause. Thousands of people have come together to exercise the right to protest against racism, but in doing so have enabled the virus to spread. I'm sure that the numbers of coronavirus contracters will go up soon because of this.

I don't know where this will all lead.

Easing into normality

Well at the moment we are at the end of week 10 of Lockdown. That is, until tomorrow. Tomorrow, June 1st) we have some schools opening up to children in England. Also, those in non essential shops opening on June 15th. My hairdresser is working towards July opening too.

All this is well and good as long as we don't have a second wave of the virus.As from tomorrow also, we have new guidlines for the lowering of the restrictions for those who are vulnerable and are shielding. They can come out and meet with others from a different household as long as its outside and they stay 2 metres apart.

Ive noticed that there are a number of coronavirus deniers on social media. Two people that I know are under the illusion that this is fake, the scientific evidence and the journalists are feeding us some sort of fake news (to coin a phrase) and are just whipping us up into a mass frenzy with their exaggerations. I don't believe it. As much as I dislike this government including the prime minister, I do think that that the virus is real and it has killed so many - although not here in Ceredigion. This is one reason why I and others are concerned that when Wales does open up to tourists, there will be a mass incoming of people and the virus.

It's a worry.

Daily Briefings

Todays figures don't bode well. 5 million people world wide have been infected with the virus.It's a scary amount and may account for my anxiety at the moment. It's the same anxiety that wakes me up most mornings at about 6am and it's the same anxiety that some of my friends have.I'm trying to avoid too much coronavirus on tv, but it's very difficult.

The daily briefings at 5pm by the government and assorted scientists/health experts are depressing with graphs and slides of the latest figures. At first I used to watch them religiously, but now I've learnt to let go. The 5pm briefings refer to England on the whole - the rest of the uk have a stricter lockdown. We get news of this at 12.30 each day from the First Minister, Mark Drakeford and his team.

We are fortunate to have a lower death rate here in Ceredigion. In fact, there have been many people trying to come to beauty spots here in Wales especially on the bank holidays. Most have been stopped by the police who have blockaded these areas. We are all having mixed feelings about an easing of the quarantine, when it comes. It will be great to have some more freedom and to see everyone again - don't get me wrong but we fear a spike in the infection rate and maybe a slide into full lockdown again.

We shall have to wait and see.

Explaining the two metre rule.

The death toll for Wales yesterday was over 1200 although the overall data for the whole of the UK has come down.We are well past the first peak. I write 'first' as we don't know of the facts that easing the lockdown will have. There may be a spike in the numbers when we mix more. That goes for schools too. There is talk that in England that schools reopening to larger numbers i.e. their full compliment will cause the virus to spread again....there is talk that the virus will be here for a long time yet....

Anyway, if schools and more shops open we will still be social distancing for a while yet. This means adhering to the two metre rule. This rule has been instated to protect people from spreading and catching the virus. It's difficult to visit those who we shield and stay 2 metres away from. TV presenters sit 2m apart on the same couch, for example....but what happens in taxis and driving schools?

In other news, Mick has decanted the drinks for quaffing later. He is out today buying plants from Charlies for the vegetable and flower garden. So it's all go in the garden now that there is a mini heatwave heading this way.

Life in Lockdown.

Ok, so what's life like in lockdown? 

Well, at the beginning of this quarantine there was much panic buying in the supermarkets and shops.Only a few of the shops selling essential items have stayed open e.g. pharmacies and garages. All had sold out of loo roll, hand sanitiser and flour due to panic buyers leaving the old, vulnerable and key workers with nothing. It was very much like the film 'Contagion', which they chose to screen on tv- for reasons best known to themselves.... it didn't help.

Next, the shops limited the buyers to 2 items of each product only. The government assured us that there would be enough to go around. The supermarkets opened at special times for the key workers (NHS workers, social care workers and shop workers etc) and the elderly. Facebook pages such as Ceredigion Coronavirus/ Aberystwyth were established in order to keep people informed and to set up a place where people could get help with shopping and getting their prescriptions etc.

To date, the shops have established a one way system with customers sanitising their hands and trolleys on the way in and therefore shopping has become essentially slow but there is food on the shelves and that is what is important, especially if you're shopping for other vulnerable people that are 'shielding'.