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I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.

Saturday, October 03, 2020

A Twelfth View from The Apocalypse

 

It’s been a few months so it’s about time for an update. I’m presently fine & Zombie Bite Free – as are my family and friends. Although some are taking more risks than I would feel comfortable with so far we have collectively dodged whatever virus infested bullets there are out there. I still have my daily habit of wiping down any plastic bottles with disinfecting wipes as well as door handles, light switches and my stair banister. Mask wearing isn’t mandated outside but shops and public transport insist on you wearing them. You do see a few without but, I understand, shops in particular are pushing back on those who try to enter without one.

Not surprisingly we’ve had local and temporary lockdowns here are things closed in on normality with pubs & restaurants open(ish), schools back (mostly) and students back at University. I’m hoping that I was not the only one expecting the R Number to increase along with infection rates. Thankfully the number of hospitalisations and deaths haven’t increased anything like before the BIG Lockdown although there has been talk about regional or even a national lockdown again if people don’t take this seriously and keep spreading bugs everywhere. I think that the government are trying hard to please as many people as possible and are pretty much ending up with pleasing very few. Businesses are screaming that they’re dying on the vine without customers and most people are somewhere between resigned to how things are or just about fed up with the whole thing. Of course they’d be a LOT more fed up with things with a total lockdown and thousands of dead.

I tried to book my annual winter Flu jab at the start of the week but was told that they’ve had to delay things a bit because of greater than expected demand. I suppose that’s due to a mix of heavy government advertising of the service, the fear of the possibility of getting Covid AND Flu and, naturally, the belief that the flu shot either will protect you against Covid (it won’t) or is actually the vaccine (it isn’t). I’ll try again next week. My local supermarket is doing them for £9 – free if you’re over 65 – and it’s only a 20 minute walk away so it’s well worth it. From the booking website it looks that it probably won’t be until November. That’s slightly annoying but I can live with it. I actually think flu should be LESS of a risk this year if people are following the Covid guidelines as the transmission is similar enough.

I’m still anticipating that the Covid vaccine will be available in the 2nd half or possibly the 3rd quarter of next year (2021). They’ll prioritise the first roll-out to essential workers and the high-risk categories before moving to the over 65’s, children etc.. and then the general public. I imagine the whole process will probably take 4-6 months. You’ll probably get it slightly faster if you want to pay through the nose for it but if you’re willing to wait it’ll be free on the NHS. After that’s done and dusted we’ll be able to get back to ‘normal’ again although I imagine many things – like work practices and shopping – will never be the same again. I still find it pretty amazing that, since April, the only cash I’ve used is to pay my window cleaner. Every other transaction – no matter how small – has been by card and most of that was contactless without even a PIN required. Covid might has possibly killed cash. How strange is that!?! As usual stay safe and stay strong. See you all on the other side.       

[Oh, and I almost forgot.... No 'Christmas' trip to be with the family 'Up North' this year. My Mum is 84 and I certainly don't want to take the risk of having an extra 'present' with me when I arrive. Plus 3 hours each way on a train..... Not happening! That'll definitely be a post-vaccine trip!] 

8 comments:

mudpuddle said...

trying to please everyone rarely ends well... we're waiting a few weeks to get flu shots; too crowded at the moment; told the dentist i'd be in when the vaccine arrives: he was disgruntled (loathe dentists anyway-not them, just the whole process) do you have Zoom over there? you could see and talk to your mom over the computer...

CyberKitten said...

@ Mudpuddle: I've had Flu twice now. NEVER again! I do need to see my dentist but they shut down just after the Zombies arrived and haven't fully reopened yet. Plus they'll have a HUGE backlog so it'll be a while I think. HATE dentists though. Not my favourite place!

Yes, we have Zoom. Some of my friends use it. But neither I nor Mum/home have videocams so.... We talk on the phone quite regularly though.... It'll do until things settle down.

Stephen said...

Before I was quarantined, I found that shopping was generally an unpleasant experience -- too much regimentation. I haven't been in shops in a couple of weeks for obvious reasons. XD I've given some thought to the flu shot -- I don't usually, being convinced that I am young(ish) and mighty and don't need no steenkin' shot -- and might still do it.

CyberKitten said...

@ Stephen: Some shops are FULL on - especially to begin with - insisting that you use hand wash on the way in etc... They tend to be a bit more relaxed about that these days. The one way system @ the Mall is funny - especially when you need to cross streams (I know - it *always* ends badly!).

The flu shot for me has zero to do with 'the present situation'. It's just that I've had it before, I'm not getting any younger and I never want to go through that again! It's a very minimal charge here (if it isn't already offered for free for a host of reasons - I got it one year @ my Doctors because they'd over ordered and were giving it away!).

James said...

Glad you are healthy in these times fraught with new viruses. Your note about cash is something I had heard about as well. If my own experience is typical I can understand why cash is going out of use. I had not used any cash for several months until just recently. Everything is on credit cards, especially when you are ordering in. Fortunately I have enough unread books to tide me over till the end of the pandemic.

CyberKitten said...

@ James: I'm a fan of cash for a number of reasons. A lot of shops these days don't like handling it though because of Covid. I can understand that! Although there is a lot of plastic in our currency notes so using sanitiser on it isn't an issue. [lol] Some shops only take cards for purchases over £10 but most don't have a lower limit. Today in my local supermarket I paid by card - contactless (no PIN required) for £4.80. I heard Bill Gates say that the Pandemic is both speeding up a lot of the tech processes (like working remotely) and making such things more acceptable/normal and I can certainly see how/why. Interesting times, as they say..!

Judy Krueger said...

Thanks for your update. I am still practicing extreme caution. Feels to me like the virus is still slinking around and it is not time to let up on all we have been doing to prevent further spreading. Of course, this is America where our president, even after contracting it himself, tells us not to fear it. Crazy making!

CyberKitten said...

@ Judy: Extreme caution is the only way to go I think. Considering there's a deadly virus out there that's killed over a million people across the globe... caution is, I think, a no-brainer. Nothing has substantially changed since it all started. We've got better at dealing with things but until there's actually a vaccine I'm digging in and waiting. All public events - those that are still happening or proposed - will be avoided until further notice! [grin]

Trump is dangerously irresponsible for what he's been doing and saying. People will die because of what he said from the Whitehouse. It's truly criminal.