So, we're into a New Year again and having taken the time to reflect on 2021, after two years of living through the pandemic, I have come full circle on understanding my anxiety. It stems from the UK Government's handling of Covid.
Covid-19 and staying safe
During the pandemic, I have proved to myself I can keep safe, but I have struggled to feel comfortable. Today's blog feels very much like deja vu. Similar to the last New Year, I am still talking about Covid.
Although I haven’t got back into my life, fast forward and I am feeling a little more comfortable with the idea that I am living in a pandemic. It is my autism that has contributed to keeping me stuck.
It is necessary for me to be careful, for us all to be careful. With precautionary measures in place and a different attitude, how we deal with the pandemic is important. It is important to get back into what resembles a more ‘normal’ life. I am really trying.
The Covid-19 stats
To date, the current daily high cases of 162,572 have been confirmed in England on Saturday January 1st. (Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com). It is important to rethink how we are living our lives. It is madness to think we can just get back into our 'normal' lives, there is no 'normal.'
The high rises in cases, tell us there is no normal. It is important to remember with or without your vaccines, you can still spread and catch Covid.
In the beginning of Covid, the UK government told us the vaccines would protect. A vaccine that protects should protect without us being able to catch or spread the virus further. Now they're telling us the booster will protect, but it's not what we have.
While you're much less likely to spread Covid after a booster jab, it is still possible to catch Covid-19 after having a booster dose. (Source: https://www.essex.gov.uk)
I am not going to be the most popular 'kid' on the block, talking about the pandemic yet again! I am also sorry to have to bring bad tidings on what should be a Happy New Year.
Thinking about protection
It is not going to work and it has been said by many that it's selfish to think we can just live our lives and without any recourse. The pandemic is telling us we need to change. We need to do more to protect ourselves and each other, so that we may reduce the number of infections and reduce Covid also.
Please help by following the precautionary measures so that we may all stay safe. Throughout the pandemic, the UK government have introduced slogans to help us cope. Although their initial slogan 'Mask, Face, Space' is no longer in use, the message for Covid remains the same.
2020 certainly did not turn out to be the year we expected. We are now living in unprecedented uncertainty to which the scientific response has evolved again and continues to evolve.
There is no doubt the vaccination programme has been an incredible success in breaking the link between the virus and serious illness, but we also know that with the current vaccines, antibodies fall over time which can leave you less protected, irrespective of whether these are derived from infection or vaccination.
I agree with you, ultimately it is our own behaviour which will dictate the course of the pandemic and indeed any others. We can't go back to life as it was, as life has irrevocably changed. And yet that is precisely how people are behaving and that I suspect is going to be more challenging than the pandemic has been to date.
Thanks. I agree the science is evolving. As you rightly say the current vaccines' antibodies fall over time which leaves us less protected. They also can't determine given we all have different immunities, how long you may be protected for.
Two years' in and scientists at Southampton University are working on a new vaccine that aims to target new variants of Covid, so the vaccine can continue to protect, if the virus were to mutate and evolve again.
Yes, we can't go back to life as it was, as life has irrevocably changed, therefore it is important to change our responses, so that we may reduce Covid and its effects.
The daily cases in the UK are showing that isn't happening. I agree with you this is becoming the biggest challenge.
So today I read the UK government's approach is now to "ride it out." I had to read this twice.
No doubt prompted by the good kicking Johnson got from his own right wing last month, when he tried introduce some (minor) measures in response to rising Omicron cases, so do nothing is the new strategy.
This political stupidity as he attempts to save his own neck, is beyond reckless and I hope this will be reflected in the ballot box next year.
There are no words, suffice to say I'm waiting for the mandatory u-turn. Also waiting for the Johnson era to end.
It needs to if we are to save more lives. In the meantime, it is up to each of us to use our own common sense.