We gave Covid 19 the keys to our house 116 days ago, how are things going?
January 9, 2021
We gave Covid 19 the keys to our house 130 days ago, how are things going?
January 18, 2021
It is 08.00 am on Friday 1 January 2021, one hundred and twenty-three days from the start of the 2020 – 2021 school year.
The cheery thing to report
For some unknown reason, it is greatly uplifting to get rid of 2020 and start 2021, as if it is automatically going to make all the difference to us and to Covid 19, healing one and killing the other.
Such a desire is both understandable (we all are now exhausted by the weight of pandemic fatigue, brain fog and the never-ending bravado and buffoonery of our errant ‘men-in-charge’) and ludicrous (since the success of Covid 19 has been, and continues to be, due to the on-going inappropriate human behaviour, either wilful [the virus won’t touch us] or by order [of their capitalist masters] of a large proportion of the population). Either way, the new year is revered world-wide as the time when new opportunities appear. It gives us all the feeling that it can only be good for us.
2021 – is it going to go down in history as the year when vaccination triumphed over Covid 19, and all we have to do is just wait our turn? Every country is shipping the stuff in even as we speak. All the ‘men-in-charge’ are saying (and praying) that vaccination will save the day. In the presence of all other preventive solutions not delivering the goods, and however much we distrust the ‘men-in-charge’ and ‘big pharma’, it feels as if it is becoming more and more acceptable as every day goes by for the wary citizen to go along with the notion (what the heck, we don’t have a real choice – do we continue to live like hermits this year or take a chance that the vaccination will work, will not kill us, will not maim us in some way – it is the only way we will ever get out of this open prison) – yet another roll of the dice.
The not-so-cheery thing to report
No, not this week. Let’s just stay cheery on this New Year’s Day – let’s enjoy the moment.
What Covid 19 is doing today in France
As mum and dad predicted in the run up to the Christmas break (and helped significantly by the easing of restrictions so that people could spend their money and socialise more) the virus is already rampaging out of control over most of the country. The ‘men-in-charge’ never gave the November lockdown a real chance to succeed. Still not learning the lessons, they continue to vacillate and avoid grasping the nettle of the actions really needed to stop the virus in its tracks.
Their only consolation? – it’s not just France. Most of Europe is now under siege by the virus. Much tougher lockdown measures are being planned.
Mum and dad have decided not to include any detailed figures until further notice – they are just far too dreadfully depressing. The above Covid 19 headlines are more than enough to signal a simple message to everybody – do not, under any circumstances, change one iota of your personal and family protective procedures.
- Mum and dad’s assessment:
Covid 19 is still running rings round everybody. This blog is primarily focused on the schools, particularly the primary schools. They sit bang in the middle of all local communities, whose populations are now at renewed extreme risk of playing a rerun of Covid 19 Russian roulette. We feel it is absolutely reasonable for the ‘men-in-charge’ to urgently announce that schools will have to close again and convert to on-line teaching. But no, there is no sign of any softening of their stance that schools must stay open to deliver education and prevent the mental impact from social isolation. On the other hand, their intransigence could also be described as a monumental failure to protect pupils and staff from infection and, at the same time, deal with a potent source of Covid 19 transmission.
And meanwhile:
Each new year stimulates a reflection of what has been achieved, and not achieved, in the year just gone. Mum and dad have used the holiday time out to chin wag and chew over the good, bad and the ugly of Covid 19 in 2020 and do a bit of self-examination. What can we learn about ourselves as we lived and responded to what was happening? What lessons can be learnt and incorporated into our 2021 family programme to improve our circumstances, our wellbeing, our savoir faire? Lots of questions and a bit of time to step back, ruminate, and think. Thinking time was at a premium in 2020, it was all about doing, doing and doing, much too mechanistic, but it had to be to stay safe.
Finally, after 123 days of exposure to their primary school, are Mum and Dad still coping?:
We are naturally very saddened at the failure of the EU, after one year of trying, to bring the virus to heel. We are sanguine about the reasons: too soft in the decision making; too optimistic in outlook; too much confusing advice to citizens everywhere; too much rejection of expert advice; too undisciplined in human behaviour; too ….. too ….. you get the picture.
At the end of the day, humans are humans, not robots. Humans, learning how to deal with a totally novel life threatening virus is a global melange of millions of unique human coping behaviours. Our family coping behaviour is our product alone, a product that yes, has enabled us to cope well for the whole of 2020. We are in good shape to deal with what 2021 is going to bring. We sincerely hope that everyone everywhere has developed the same level of resilience and high quality coping mechanisms to see them through to the end of this story. With 2021 now here and progressing, we wish you all good planning, good safety, and good luck.
By John Saunders
World Health Communication Associates (WHCA) & INSPIRIT Creatives UG NGO,
MediaWise and MediaFocusUK
Strengthening connections
while keeping distance
News You Can Use
We are all vulnerable to this virus. This is a unique time for our communities all over the world as we work to combat this massive global threat. This blog aims to collect and share your stories and reflections that can help others to cope, thrive and build resilience…
Our communities are at different stages of response in different parts of the world. We can learn a lot from each other. Building on World Health Organization and other evidence-based guidance, this blog will gather and disseminate stories that inform, inspire and hopefully strengthen social connectiveness while we all practice physical distancing.
We invite you to contribute. At present we are looking for stories in the following areas:
May the force be with all of us.
Sabrina, Mike, Steve, Tuuli and Franklin for the Connecting Communities team
BLOG: https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/coronavirus-connecting-communities
Email: cccov19@gmail.com
See: https://www.whcaonline.org | https://www.inspiritcreatives.com/humanity
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12385075/ | Twitter: @connecting_comm
News: https://cccovid19.org/corona_virus/
| Disclaimer – We try to include stories that respect World Health Organisation COVID19 guidance. Links take you to full published stories. Our Connecting Communities team screens and selects stories but can not guarantee accuracy of reporting and mentions of any products does not indicate endorsement. |
While we grieve for the tremendous loss of lives in so many countries, we can see and feel that the need to connect communities and share learning grows everyday. Please attach your comments and stories to this blog or send them to cccov19@gmail.com or attach them to this blog. We welcome stories in all languages and from all countries. Here are some first examples of stories and links. Send us yours and make this blog useful.