We gave Covid 19 the keys to our house 185 days ago, how are things going?
March 5, 2021
We gave Covid 19 the keys to our house 199 days ago, how are things going?
April 1, 2021
It is 08.00 am on Friday 12 March 2021, one hundred and ninety-two days from the start of the 2020 – 2021 school year.
Dad is now Pfizer immune!
Got my second jab this week – now heading for the promised land, and I have got a certificate of vaccination to prove it! If the pundits are to be believed and trusted, I am now immune from Covid 19, which I take to mean that I am very unlikely to pick up a new infection, or to be able to transmit the virus to anybody else. Feels good, feels safe, feels warm and friendly, at last something to boast about, something new to give me an inner glow of something to counteract the usual daily Covid drudgery and emotional conflagration of my mind and bodily parts.
But, my immediate jubilation fizzled out quickly!
The reality message struck me forcibly when I woke up the morning after. My ticket to the promised land promises nothing beyond increased protection against Covid 19. I know it sounds that I’m being ungrateful for at least having some protection now (in itself a big deal when you are carrying some key risk factors, starting with age!). Yes, it’s real enough for starters, but the real reality is that my certificate is just a thank you note from teacher for being a good (=acquiescent) citizen for attending for my vaccination. I have become just one tiny, tiny piece of the very, very early work being undertaken to vaccinate the whole global population.
The ‘Protection From Covid Procedures’ has to stay absolutely the same for all the family and every other vaccinee’s family – the drudgery stays the same, the feeling of being in an open prison stays the same, the social isolation stays the same, the feeling of time evaporating as the days, weeks and months rush by, wasted, stays the same, and above all, living with the Covid 19 number one message – ‘I have put your life on hold’!!! there are no words to convey the depth of the feeling of helplessness and abandonment of being permanently stuck on a virtual Marie Celeste, lost, rudderless, drifting about from day to day, night to night, in the middle of a virtual deep blue sea, going nowhere, nothing to guide us anywhere, no exit signs to follow, no nothing but the same old, same old, never ending daily grinding survival routine. Looking for some solace and explanation, it is nice to turn to my favourite poet, Robert Burns for advice. In 1785, in his poem ‘To a mouse’ he confirmed that we have no choice but to expect the unexpected – we all have to put life on hold from time to time, as he wrote the immortal line that says it all, to all humans: The best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley
Oh no, not another school holiday!
Easter will soon be upon us. When we think back to the very difficult time we had coping with the last school break, generated by Child’s inability to cope with the associated sudden social isolation, we break out in a cold sweat, gasping, not again, please not again. No way could that experience be described as a holiday from school – it was pure pain, frustration and torture from beginning to end. We still have not recovered! Time to panic and do something, somehow, somewhere out of the four walls of the house, somewhere outside, somewhere new and welcoming and diversionary and entertaining, something none of us has done already and become bored with – but, what, what, what ??? – The third wave is now raging across France and much of Europe, we have new restrictions in place. Hmm, simples (!) just another ‘square peg in a round hole’ impasse to get round.
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.