It’s sunny. It’s warm. And judging from what I’ve seen over the last couple of days, in about two to three weeks we’re due another spike in those getting ill, hospitalisations, and deaths. I haven’t seen too many 60+ folks out and about. Perhaps they were more sensible than me and either stayed indoors or went for walks early morning or in the evening.
Yes, I’m becoming on of those people. Muttering under my breath at a middle aged man walking with his partner and child. He remained in the middle of the footpath. I walked as far onto the road as I was able. Or at small groups of young men, young women, who I very much doubt live in the same households. There was some vague attempt at social distancing with gaps of maybe a metre and a bit.
When I see this, I try not to let it get to me. If I do, the only person it’s affecting is me in terms of my headspace. Though of course it affects all of us.
All in all though I had a good walk today. I chose to go nowhere near Dulwich Park and managed to find some glorious green spaces including the Horniman Museum gardens and Sydenham Woods. On the way there I ran into a friend I haven’t spoken to since all this began. She lives near me with her partner. They had just been for a run. My friend just graduated from her Masters. They were meant to be celebrating in Valencia but can’t. So instead they’re having a Spanish themed weekend with paella this evening.
The woods weren’t too crowded. I did stop a few times to let people pass at the appropriate distance. Smiles all around. The birds were in full song. I wandered down the other side of Dulwich to my usual route as there were too many people to try and avoid.
Another 346 deaths. Almost another 4,000 people have tested positive, bring the total to 215,260. Globally we’re only about 25k away from hitting 4,000,000 positive cases
Two billion pounds investment have been announced to improve cycling and walking. While this is to 2025, some of these funds will be used to put in place temporary cycle lanes and the like to try and get people back to work. The public transport system can only deal with about 10% of the numbers of people to manage social distancing. I expect I won’t be seeing much beyond my immediate area any time soon.
And quarantine. It looks like arrivals from outside the UK, with the exception of Ireland, will have to quarantine for two weeks. There’s a lack of detail as to where people will quarantine, as for instance potentially going back into homes if there are others there would not be the best laid plan. I don’t know what it means for people who don’t live here permanently. However, this won’t be put in place until the end of the month.
How are we meant to respond to this? Has nothing been learned? If you give warning about quarantine, lots of people will rush back, with some proportion of them being infected. New Zealand and Australia had the right idea – introduce it hard and fast with no exceptions.
Tomorrow night Boris Johnson, the PM, will be announcing what an easing of lockdown might look like. Various rumours suggest garden centres will be allowed to open as well as potentially some other businesses which have had to shut. I think it’s probably too early for places like libraries. There’s also the hint that we might be able to go out for than once a day for exercise. This would bring me much joy.
So that’s it for Day 47. Stay safe, stay well, and stay home!
I’m hoping realistically for being let out for exercise more than once a day (esp as we have incredibly noisy builders in next door at the moment) and would just love if we could go out with one trusted friend, mainly because weirdly I could then access remoter trails I wouldn’t feel safe on on my own!
Yep, I get that. Who knows??? Will have to see what’s announced this evening. 🙂