Coronavirus

Hopefully, we're all still here, at least!

Our "reopening" has been stalled for a few weeks now, because case numbers are rising. It's up to an average of 20 a day over the last five days. The worrying thing is that it's mostly young people, and they say that contact tracing has linked several clusters, including one large cluster (about 50 people) to house parties.
Masks have been made mandatory in all shops and indoor retail settings. Visiting in homes restricted to 10 people max, from a max of 4 households. Indoor gatherings (in public indoor spaces like churches etc. ) limited to 50 and outdoor to 200.

people are furious here, because there seem to be a lot of tourists around from the UK and the US. There is a mandatory 14 day quarantine period for anyone coming in to the country from anywhere, but it's clear that a lot of visitors are not quarantining at all.
 
Love the pick.
Still quiet around here, not many people visiting the shops and buses very quiet during the day. Our biggest bugbear is people are wearing masks to get on the bus, then they pull them under their chin and start chatting to one and all, as every other row on the bus is cordoned off people seem to lean over and start shouting across them and the aisles.
A work colleague was invited to an 18th birthday party at a house, as it was an Asian party and he knew lots would attend he didn't go, wise move, as 13 people from the party have now got Covid 19, and the rest are hopefully isolating
 
I’m having an adventurous week, first time out for unavoidable appointments. On Wednesday I took Poppy to the vet to have her teeth scaled and polished. Wearing my mask, I had to tap on the window to alert the receptionist, attach Poppy to the vets own lead on a post outside the door, and wait until the vet appeared, also masked. We had a brief talk and then he took Poppy in, and I did it all again later on in reverse order when she was ready for collection. No owners allowed inside the practice. When we arrived home I took her straight upstairs for a bath, in case she had brought anything back on her fur, which she was too dozy to notice really.
I also had to get fuel at our small local garage. Not impressed. No hand sanitizer at the pumps, attendant not wearing a mask and sitting in his small unventilated shop, with no screen or mask. I was wearing my mask and also disposable gloves to handle the pump, and to enter the shop and pay contactless. When I got back to the car I disposed of the gloves and used my own sanitiser before driving off. Apparently this is unusual in Whitchurch - most of the shops, hairdressers, and the cafe are fully compliant with all the measures to make people feel safe - except for one of the two barbers, where one friend reported people milling around close together and no hygiene precautions at all. Word gets round fast in our small town, and this is now good for business in the second, excellent barbers shop!
Tomorrow I have an appointment for a CT scan at the hospital. Originally planned for February, it was postponed until March, and then cancelled due to lockdown. I was actually offered an appointment in early June, at the height of the peak, but as I knew Basingstoke was a hotspot I declined, as it wasn’t too urgent. Last week I got a phone call from the doc. asking about my COPD, which is OK at present, and a few days later I got this appointment tomorrow. Yesterday I got a letter with a date for the follow up appointment, when I shall hear the results - April 16, 2021- 9 months after the scan. I could have had a baby in that time, if I was still equipped to do so!
 
Marigold said:
I was wearing my mask and also disposable gloves to handle the pump, and to enter the shop and pay contactless. When I got back to the car I disposed of the gloves and used my own sanitiser before driving off.
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If you use gloves for the petrol pump, it's best to take them off and sanitise your hands (without touching the outside of them. Hook your thumb under the wrist, and turn the glove inside out as you take it off.) before using your card to pay. Because you could be transferring bugs from the glove to your handbag, purse and card.
Some shops are being so good. I went to a charity shop this morning, and even though she saw me using my own sanitiser before I approached the door, the assistant still asked me to use their's, which was attached to the wall just inside the door. I guess that way, they know that the sanitiser you've used is effective!
 
We've only had 7 cases on the islands and no deaths. However the ferries which have been essential travel only will be opening to tourists next week and islanders are somewhat apprehensive. Our friend down the road won't be opening her B&B and our pal with the wildlife tours and fishing boats won't be opening either. Our local pub/hotel is still closed. Not sure how many restaurants are open yet so not sure what the tourists are going to do.
 
Similar here Diane. Fortunately the secondary ferry to this island is manned, and womanned, by fellow islanders who will check the Shetland Islands account cards and not let anyone in who doesn’t have one.
However islanders are free to go to Lerwick, our equivalent of Stornaway, visit Tesco, have their hair done etc so I think it’s only a matter of time before it gets everywhere.
I try to be philosophical about all possible outcomes. Wishful thinking, religious belief and indifference to life are all different coping strategies used by different people. I was reflecting last night as I tucked into my absolutely favourite meal (Braised Oxtail) that life ain’t bad. ?
 
To be honest we haven't been much bothered by the lockdown except for Tesco deliveries being hard to come by. The only real bother has been the 5 mile limit but of course that is lifted now. Went further than the recycling point for the first time since March last week for a drive down to Harris and a bit of shopping - wearing my saltire face covering, of course.
 
Hen-Gen.
How's the chap who was doing a long distance walk up your way when lockdown started & who decided to sit it out on an uninhabited island? Is he still there?
 
Another of my step daughters in the US has just had it. She said the lady she sat next to in their church last Sunday went down with it the same day as she did. Last Wednesday, she said she had a fever. By Thursday, she had chills, a cough and a pounding headache. By Friday, she was feeling a bit better, but was losing her sense of taste and smell.

And by yesterday (Saturday), she was better, out picking berries (on their own farm) and doing laundry! My other step daughter who, with her entire family, all became ill with it, also had a really mild illness. Seems to me that maybe there is a different, milder, strain going around over there now? Because I'm told that although loads of people are getting it, they are just getting a mild illness.
 
How to wear one properly. I loved this
 

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Wheese keys are these?. Cheesy chips and blue pop all round! :D
 
Who needs government advice, when this forum can deal with all virus related problems, in plain English.
Good one Marigold
 
I’ve just been back reading the first few pages of this 50-page thread. It’s really interesting, in the light of what has happened since, as a historical record of how we felt about it all in February. I got to the bit in March 1st when I am agonising about whether or not to get new pullets, or face a summer with an empty run. Well, I can report no Covid so far, but Morehens disease is still prevalent here. Our local chicken farm may have some in mid-August. I’ve had a good summer growing veg in pots in the run and we’re now eating some lovely new potatoes as well as other veg dotted around the garden, and it has been interesting and productive. But I do miss the girls, most particularly the eggs as £9.50 for 2 dozen organic free range a week is quite pricey and although they’re nice, they’re not as fresh as our own. I think back in March I really felt we might not be here for very long, and although of course that’s still the case, it somehow seems less of an imminent threat now we have adapted and are lucky enough to be able to protect ourselves more than many others can. So I’m getting on with harvesting the potatoes and moving other stuff out of the run ready to try putting the coop back together again ......
Still hoping for a dentist appointment one day, maybe, to fill the hole where the filling fell out last week. Emergencies only still.
 
I keep temporary filling material in my cupboard at home. You might be able to get some from your nearest pharmacy, Marigold.
 
Our local Boots do temporary filling material, so you should be able to source some from somewhere.

Glad you are looking forward with optimism still.
 
The local traveler's site has at least 21 case of Covid -19. Some news sources are saying it's as high as 40, the number of cases was expected to rise. It seems they had come from a site near Welshpool where there had been confirmed cases.The population is about 3,000 which covers more than the town itself.

So keeping an eye on myself for potential symptoms as the first cases were diagnosed last week and I did my normal weekly visit to Post Office and supermarket before masks were mandatory.
 
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