Hello I have popped back again as I do

Well I'm still drawing stuff and things are still in a state of normality at home. But elsewhere things are starting to come off the rails a bit. Covid-19 is getting worse in the UK again and it  is looking likely it will be seriously bad. Parts of Europe are a couple of weeks ahead of the UK and Countries such as Spain and France are not good. 

The Election in the USA seems to be just strange at present; Mr Bidon seems a bit frail and as for Mr Trump; to me he has lost the plot as well as going down with Covid-19 and he also appears to have given key members of his party Covid-19. He says he is fine, but in truth it is early days for him and this is one seriously nasty virus that can get you many days even weeks after you think all is going well. And he does not appear to be trying to win votes from outside his core supporters. So is at risk of self destruction both physically and in the Presidential race.

We will see I guess. . . . . . 

 

Drawing and JK Rowling

 I have started Drawing again. Well I started when JK Rowling started posting the tale of the Ickabog via a link on Twitter (it was not planned to draw stuff, but she did say folk could). It was interesting random subject material being posted a chapter at a time which was ideal. It is good to be forced into drawing something new each day without knowing what on earth you may have to draw. Anyway it was a fairy-tale sort of . . . . I say sort of because I always think of fairy-tales as slightly different to that of the tale of the Ickabog which felt more adult to me than I was expecting. I was hoping to draw Cows laying Golden eggs and frogs kissing innocent passersby or giants planting beanstalks with pigs living at the top to avoid small children in red hoodies. 

I have never met JK Rowling but do wonder if she is quite an intense personality, She certainly seems focused when you consider what she has achieved over the years and those who follow her on twitter will know she tells stuff as she sees it. 

When the story ended I continued to use it to do my little drawing although I did have to bend the story slightly and make things up, but I dont think she will mind too much.

And now I just keep drawing. . . . Not big grand arty works of art, but small sketch pad drawings done each evening until I run out of ideas or steam. After all I have many other things to do so this is just a little task I set myself each day and it is good to create in some form if you can. 

So what kind of drawing am I doing I hear you all type well here are the last three . . .  make of them what you will. And if you happen to talk to JK Rowling do say hello and wish her well.

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

I have been somewhat quiet of late. Partly because I am busy doing many other things but also because we are at that point in the story of the coronavirus; Covid-19 where things are changing slower. Well they are here in the UK clearly this is not the case in the USA where the virus has taken off in some parts. Citizens in the USA are incredibly sensitive to restrictions in personal freedom so lockdowns are hard to enforce and the virus has taken advantage of this and the numbers are becoming frightening.  

In Britain there is the first hint of a second wave, clearly it is too early to really tell so we will see. Not far from me there was a small cluster of Covid-19 found on a traveller site as a result of a party with another traveller site, but that hopefully has been kept under control by a strict lockdown. Although I believe a couple of folk refused at first and went walkabout, but the long arm of the law may have had a few words so they returned home.

There was a huge explosion in Beirut a couple of days ago causing chaos in a city which already had many problems including Covid-19. I suspect this will now spread through the population very quickly because everyone is involved in trying to save the city after so much of it has been damaged including three of its hospitals.

 

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

Now last time I posted on my blog I did happen to mention that the masses had heard little of the track and trace system that was being developed and tested. Well it seems that the reason for that is it didn’t work very well. I am not entirely surprised.  What governments often forget to take into account is that developing IT software is not easy and often takes time and costs a lot. Gone are the days when you could ask an IT geek hidden in his bedroom to create something overnight.

News on testing folk for Coronavirus has also gone rather quiet I think the government’s argument is that because numbers are reducing it is no longer important.  Of course if people get complacent it runs the risk of a second wave of Covid-19 which would cause loads of issues as lockdown is eased in an attempt to return to normal

.

I do have a little theory of my own (far too long to go into here) about the spread of Covid-19 and the slow but sure reduction in cases. It is clear that where there is a population living or working in close proximity the risk is very high. So social distancing is highly effective in cities, but out in the country it probably makes little difference. So I do think that having very targeted social distancing and working practices would be as effective as a national policy, but I guess the big problem then is policing it. Folk you see will bend the rules on the grounds that they are fine and are not worried so it is not important.

Since I was last here a common and cheap drug has been found to be effective in the worse cases where life is at risk so that is a really positive step.

And as a final note the Black Lives Matter movement continues to have an impact on many, also a positive step…  

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

Here in the UK lockdown continues to be eased as the number of deaths falls. This is good news, although I still have doubts about the effectiveness of the systems put in place to ensure we don’t get a second peak. There is a track and trace system, but we hear little about it. And Coronavirus testing numbers look good but it is not the number of people tested but the number of tests. It also includes tests sent out in the post on that day, but we never know how many get returned and used.

I still think we may be at a point where other issues such as folks income and savings could turn into a major issue very soon. 

The incident in the USA where the black man (George Floyd) died during his arrest where the police were very much in the wrong has had worldwide implications. The Black Lives Matter protests have seen thousands of people protesting and the destruction or removal of statues of those who were in some way involved with the slave trade; and in several countries.  It is good that there is a possibility of a change of attitude. But there also needs to be something to remind folk of the past and what was done during the slave trade removing all evidence without replacing it with something that shows the barbarity of what happened risks removing the events from history.

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

We continue to remain in a state of uncertainty here in the UK as the government slowly allow some easing of lockdown. It’s a tricky situation. Many schools are due to open tomorrow, however only with a limited number of pupils in order to maintain social distancing. There is still much disagreement about the right way forward as some want lockdown eased quickly while others feel everything is moving too fast.

To tell the truth we will only know if the easing of lockdown will work if we don’t get a second peak in deaths, so that is a risky strategy. But it is hard to say for sure what the right way forward is.

 In the USA a black man died while being arrested, the police officer had him pinned to the ground with his knee on his neck and maintained this until sometime after the man stopped moving. The result has been nationwide rioting for 4-5 nights. So not only did a black man unnecessarily die but the rioting will possibly lead to the spread of the coronavirus among a high risk group of US citizens. The number of people who have or had the virus in the US is already high . . . This is very sad.

I think across the world governments and individuals are starting to weigh up the risks of Covid-19 against the future risks of their financial situation. Of course this is another area where the well-off are in a much stronger position than the poor. Probably another underlying issue behind the US rioting where to many lives can look and feel very unequal.

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

Now on the last post of my humble blog I said that Dominic Cummings the Prime Ministers chief adviser had become the main news here in Britain as a result of his trip to his parents’ house to self-isolate with his wife and small child. As I said it was understandable, but possibly bending the rules. Well there have been continued demands for him to be sacked again today. And as I said then he is not the sort of chap to fall on his sword. So far Boris Johnson is sticking with him, which is surprising really normally a PM would drop someone like a ton of bricks and folk would be happy they have their man. But that has not happened and so folk are angry some are very angry, even members of the Conservative party are angry.  Mr Cummings has always appeared to be an arrogant man to me and I suspect may others. Even folk within the Tory party think he has too much power. This is why some folk and a lot of the press have been rather passionate about trying to remove him. 

I think he should go now because he is meant to be an adviser working in the shadows not headline news, he is now a serious distraction from the things that are important in the continuing story and battle to control Covid-19.  

He did make one point however I agreed with that I saw on the news when he was trying to leave his London home. He said to the Press that they were not keeping to the 2 metres required by social distancing. And it was true they were hounding him and hustling each other for the best shots and to fire questions at him. Now its fine to be critical of him and what he did, but you are being hypercritical if you then ignore important parts of the rules to avoid the spread of Covid-19 such as social distancing yourself. Just because you work for the media does not make you exempt in the same way Dominic Cummings is not exempt which is why folk argue he should be sacked . . . . . Pot-Kettle is what came to mind as I watched it.

OOOoooooo it’s a small point or possibly not, but Boris Johnson still looks far from well to me. I do wonder if he would now be happier if he was not the Prime Minister. Sometimes our dreams do not work out as planned. 

A chap needs a place to hide

this is mine

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

Today the coronavirus pandemic  has been rather dominated by news about Dominic Cummings the Prime Ministers (Boris Johnson) chief adviser. Now if you are not sure about this then he is sort of Tonto where the PM is The Lone Ranger which he clearly is not but I hope you get my drift.

You see what he did was drive just over 200 miles to self-isolate in an annexe at his parents’ home. Because both he and his wife had symptoms of Covid-19 and it has been stated they were seriously concerned about who would look after their 4 year old child. At first this seems fine but it was at a time when the government had told us all to stay strictly at home under the lockdown rules and not to travel except for very specific reasons. And that if you thought you had the virus you should not travel and stay well and truly at home.

Anyway the news of this became public today and because Dominic Cummings is rather unpopular in certain circles (and that includes me) folk have been out to get him and make the PM get rid of him. Some are saying that what he did was within the guidelines of the government’s lockdown policy and therefore he should keep his job. As things stand he is still being supported by Boris Johnson and if that remains the case he will keep his job. I don’t think he is the sort of chap to fall on his own sword so will hang in there and keep his head down for a bit and hope for the best.

My own view on this is that he probably did what he thought was best for his family and young child so should keep his job. I would like to see him go but for better reasons that this

.

The one thing that I feel he and the government have done that is not right is that they did not make what he did public. Had it been made public straight away and the reasons made clear then we would probably not be where we are now. And this does make you think that all those involved or those who were aware of what he did within the government must have thought he was bending the rules a bit too far. So if he has to go then it should be for doing all this in secret and not being honest with the public. Particularly as statements made had tended to imply he and his family remained at home.

It is not the first time the government has bent the truth to make things suit their own views and goals and that is what is bad about all of this. It also makes those in power look rather arrogant and helps perpetuate the idea of a them and us society. 

The wheels turn, but also squeak a bit at times

much like my lawnmower

which I had to fix yesterday. 

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

We are still in what appears to be something of a twilight zone where folk are still undertaking social distancing here in the UK as best they can but they are also trying to find some sort of normality. Or at least trying to understand what the new normality is going to be. The government are allowing folk out now but they are still only allowed to meet one person outside their own household somewhere public such as a park.  The truth is though that more people are meeting up more than they will officially admit too.

There is also an ongoing discussion about whether it is safe to restart schools and if so how. It is an interesting question because what do you tell very young children that have not seen their friends in many weeks. To keep them isolated potentially runs the risk of mental health issues later. Going back to school though runs the risk of the virus spreading in the community. There is no obvious best solution.

Another thing that is now starting to become potentially an issue is the increasing talk of businesses making staff redundant. I think this is going to be a huge problem in the coming weeks and months. It might cause as many problems in time as the virus itself, but we will see I hope I am wrong about that.

I have completed several jigsaws

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

We have sort of reached a point in the battle against Covid-19 where things are not getting worse but also not getting better. Yesterday there were about 600 recorded deaths from the virus in the UK and today about 400. Under normal circumstances this would be shock news, but somehow these numbers have just become statistics and are reeled off now just as part of the daily news. 

Meanwhile MPs and the news media discuss various aspects of the Lockdown or what can be done in care homes. Or as happened today the possibility of a trusted test for the antibodies of Covid-19 becoming available very soon. Which they say will allow folk to get back to work quicker and help in hospitals, care homes and the economy.  

Yesterday I had to head off to the local supermarket for a couple of things and some folk are no longer taking the precautions put in place seriously. So ignoring the one way system and walking beside you to get things of shelves. The staff have been issued with visors so they feel safer, but I’m not sure having a visor will increase your protection by much. Particularly as they now don’t mind you loading the checkout while they remain there. Previously they would move away and then you would move away so they could zap through the barcodes.

I feel folk are getting complacent, 1000 folk dying in two days no longer has shock value and too many people seem to think the country is on the mend or that the economy is now more important. We are told we should maintain Social Distancing while also being told the Lockdown is being eased, but too many are forgetting the social distancing rules so I do worry we could see things getting worse in a couple of weeks and ending up back where we started a couple of months ago.

1985

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

Last night our leader Mr Boris Johnson the Prime Minister gave his grand speech. I had not planned to listen to it, but fate took a hand as fate is inclined to do and I got to listen to it live on the radio. It was not a proper radio but one of those Alexa things as radio reception here is a bit dodgy.  Now as speeches go it would not be unfair to point out it was not one of his best; it was muddled and confused and he rambled a lot. I should point out that I’m generally muddled and confused and ramble most of the time so I know what it looks and sounds like really well and last night’s speech was a classic example. Most of the news media seem to have agreed with my assessment so I don’t think I am being unfair.

The new mantra is no longer  . . . . Stay At Home Protect the NHS . . .  it is now . . . Be Alert . . . . .  Well folk have called me worse things than being a lert in the past so I can take it like a chap.

One of the criticisms of  . . . . Be Alert . . . though is it does not really give people a clear idea of what you want them to do. It assumes that folk will be wise and do the right thing. Well that’s an error if ever there was one, folk are rubbish at obeying stuff and conforming to a conceptual idea of making the world safe for all and respecting other folks social distancing and any other measures they make take to protect themselves is a big ask. A lot of folk will just say I can’t be bothered I intend to do what I like and stand where I like. This is the nature of humans, we can be not very nice and stupid even when it would be in our best interest. . . . . .Ho Hum.  

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

It seems that the PM Boris Johnson is going to announce a change in the lockdown restrictions on Sunday, or so we have been led to believe.  The government are now backtracking a bit and saying that the changes will be minimal. This is hardly a surprise as the moment it was announced some of the media were implying we would be able to rush off to the beach or have a wild party with all our mates in the park. This is clearly not the case.

I intend to remain very cautious although social distancing is getting trickier as I discovered today in the local but small supermarket. They have a one way system and have boxes which you enter to shop as the person in front leaves. The plan being that everyone moves round the shop at a safe distance. Well today a significant number of shoppers  had abandoned this system and were just going up and down as they pleased and were happy to stand close to others in order to get what they wanted.  This just makes it harder for the rest of us. 

I now know of another friend who tested positive for Covid-19. Luckily they are recovering well and have been allowed back to work. They are a health care worker in a hospital environment so were always at a high risk of getting the virus.

The news coverage on TV continues to give us every possible option on the economic future of the UK. I think the reality is no one knows because it all depends on a vaccine and that is probably a few months away yet at best.

A good place to hide

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

Well today in the UK the death total from Covid-19 officially became the highest in Europe at 29,427 deaths. This is not good although it is hard to compare one country to another because of the way each counts the numbers. Plus all sorts of variables such as population size and even variations in the numbers of people of different age groups. Up to today Italy has had the highest figure for overall deaths in Europe but they are further along the pandemics timeline than the UK and are taking tentative steps at easing the Lockdown.

Also today in our little village in Shropshire a family have gone into self-isolation as one of them works in a Care Home and woke up on Monday feeling unwell and with a temperature. They tried to arrange a visit to one of the drive though test centres but were offered one in either Glasgow or Belfast (WHAT?). Certainly not very practical and not really a one day round trip when you are feeling healthy yet allow when sick. Luckily the Care Home has managed to organise home tests for them. There are five in the household. . . . Hopefully they will be OK . . . . . . We have offered to get supplies if they need them. 

The Coronavirus observational guide . . .

Well I am starting to lose track a bit as one set of Covid-19 news merges into another and we continue to ponder the same issues over and over with no real solution to resolving how to escape lockdown. Clearly the only long term solution is a vaccine and there are encouraging steps being taken to develop one. In the meantime though the British government, like most governments is talking of small steps towards normality. What these steps will be is now being discussed and speculated upon almost 24/7 by the news media.

And there are plans to test a new smartphone app to keep track of folk and who they have been close to. It is rather dependant on everyone having a smartphone and downloading the app though or the idea is doomed. I do have a smartphone these days but I seldom turn it on as I carry it for emergencies such as the car breaking down.  Today I discovered two of the cars I have had flat batteries. That will teach me to own more cars than I need. It was not a plan to own three cars it sort of happened and that’s my excuse.  One is thirsty one is old and one is small so they do all work as a whole.

The Coronavirus observational guide . . . 03/05/2020

03/05/2020

Today has been relatively quiet on the news front although I have noticed that the daily test figure here in England (UK) for Covid-19 fell to about 80,000.  This tends to make me think I was right in my assumptions that the government were keen to meet the figure of 100, 000 on the 1^st at any cost.

The A to Z Coronavirus observational guide . . . continues

Yes I’m still here because like the virus I have not finished.  I will try to continue to give a rational opinion of how the battle with the coronavirus unfolds with time.

Today was the day in Britain, well England where the target of 100,000 tests for Covid-19 was due to be met. And fair enough it has been with 122, 000 folk tested. This is both good and bad, certainly good as the more people tested the better as there is a desperate need to find those who have or are carriers of Covid-19. The less good side of this is the government made the target of 100,000 tests a day a priority to be met by 1^st May.  To me it felt like who is tested became something of a free for all in the last couple of day in order to achieve it. So certain key workers such as doctor’s’ nurses and staff in care homes have found it very difficult to get tested in the last few days.

The other issue here in Britain is that despite the large increase in tests for Covid-19 there is still no real system to follow up on contacts where a test proves to be positive. So the benefits that could be achieved are not really happening. The result of this is that the state of lockdown could last much longer because the rate at which folk are dying will only drop slowly and those in high risk areas such as care homes will not benefit quickly enough to save many lives.

I also feel that many are starting to feel the pressure of continued Social Distancing under lockdown and even here in rural Shropshire there were more cars about today. We will see how things progress.

And I may not be posting every day particularly as the sun is due to emerge from the clouds again over the next couple of days and I still have tasks to complete outside. . . . .  

An A to Z Coronavirus observational guide. . . Z

Z

Zombies

It is traditional for folk doing the A to Z to end with a swarm of Zombies and it’s a tradition I plan to continue. Now you may say well that’s not right the Coronavirus might be dangerous but it does not turn folk into Zombies. Well that is true but the fact is it is not the virus that will turn you into a Zombie it is the precautions we take to social distance and isolate under lockdown. 

Many can cope OK . . .  I do, I just pretend every day is Sunday, but others don’t? (that's others dont cope rather than others dont pretend everyday is Sunday) I noticed a certain designer fashion business had changed its target market and was doing well selling hoodies and tracksuit bottoms.  This is a slippery road to self-abandonment. I mean who shuffles about aimlessly wearing hoodies and tracksuit bottoms wondering what to do and forming huge queues outside supermarkets. . . . . . . . Well Zombies do. And don’t think I’ll be OK I won’t slide down this slipper road; because this is the new normal. In a years’ time we will have all succumbed to it as our mental resistance is slowly broken down. It is a terrible fate and one that as time passes becomes more likely as the powers that be talk more and more about how things may need to change for many years.

Maybe it’s a diabolical plan by those in power to finally supresses the masses. And on that cheery note it is time to End the A to Z of 2020 . . . . . . Thank you for reading

It wont get Me

An A to Z Coronavirus observational guide. . . Y

Y

Youth and the Young

Well one of the things that seems to be the case with Covid-19 is that you are likely to deal with the Coronavirus much better physically if you are younger. This may seem fairly logic but viruses can be fickle things and there have been some where the young are more vulnerable. In this case it is probably for the best that they do cope better physically as younger folk tend to think of themselves as invincible which they are not.

The problem though is that although the young cope with Covid-19 better than the old they do not cope with social distancing and lockdown as well.  I mean when I was young I had the whole world out there at my fingertips.  OK I started an apprenticeship in Engineering when I left school and swotted a bit which ironically was something I did not do at school. But this was a life choice by me; someone in the same position now finds themselves confined to home with few options. Even going to school or college is not an option at present so being young in lockdown I suspect for many is extremely stressful mentally. For younger children, well a lot of them just dont understand whats happening or why they cant see their pals. . . . (I may include myself in that, because at some point we will have to abandon lockdown and take our chances) 

Well I noticed on the news tonight that there is concern for young children as several in recent days have been having severe symptoms that may be linked to Covid-19 which has resulted in them being in hospital and in a fairly poorly way. This appears to be a new twist in the continuing story of this virus.  

Folk thought I was a bit odd in my youth.

An A to Z Coronavirus observational guide. . . X

X

Factor X

Yes I bet you were all wondering how I was going to deal with X  . . . . So was I…

Factor X you see refers to all those odd thoughts and anomalies that have cropped up since Britain and indeed most of the world have had to cope with Covid-19 and Lockdown. As there are little things that crop up from time to time that make me ponder; sometimes a bit and sometimes a lot. From the irrational panic buying of toilet tissue at the start of our journey; I notice toilet rolls are now quite common again. To the way some TV shows have tried to cope with the fact they have to undertake them from the disadvantage of having half the folk trapped at home in lockdown.

And that brings me to my own first and rather curious observation. You see on TV right now if you watch news or interviews or even at times the weather you find as a result of isolation you see someone in their own home in front of the wall of their home office, Kitchen, living or dining room and rather than listen to what they say I find myself thinking stuff like. . . . . . What a boring room or what a terrible picture or as I thought only the other night that’s an odd way to hang your pictures.

I was also slightly curious that we have been told vitamin D is good for us however sitting out in the sun which is the natural way to obtain vitamin D has always been frowned upon in the past because of the risk of skin cancer. Only it seems this is now a good thing, but because of lockdown we are not allowed to sit in the sun. . . . .

There are many anomalies and curious things that crop up in connection with Covid-19. I still find it curious that ethnic minorities appear to be suffering badly and as yet there are no obvious reasons for this.

It is also interesting that some folk seen to be driving like mad looneys on the roads I noticed that one was recorded at over 130mph in a 40mph limit the other day . . . . . Why? That’s madness. 

And folk are home baking like mad and also knitting a lot more, even I have made flat bread recently

A hat in a different light can be a grand hat

An A to Z Coronavirus observational guide. . . W

W

What Next and the World Wide Web

Yes indeed What Next. There are so many things we just don’t know that anticipating what will happen next is far from easy. After all if a vaccine is found quickly and we all get it and the virus vanishes overnight the world could look exactly like it did back at the end of 2019. And by Christmas 2020 most will have forgotten all about it as we complain about the crowds in the shops and folk panic buy toilet rolls because it’s Christmas and the shops might close for two days.  . . . But let’s not be that pessimistic.

The thing is What Happens Next is a big issue as there is already talk of partial lockdowns being maintained until next year with events and businesses where large groups of people meet possibly having to be wait even longer before they can operate normally again. The economic repercussions of Covid-19 could and almost certainly will last for years.

There is one of man’s discoveries though that has made a huge difference in a positive way and that is the World Wide Web (The Internet). It has enabled us to stay in touch with family, buy things we need online, continue to teach our kids, do our banking, continue working, stay sane by keeping our minds active, and write our blogs. OK all this was being done before the Coronavirus struck but we can truly appreciate the internet and its associated technology now. Imagine how isolated many would be if it was not there and how out of date our news of the virus, family and world events would be day to day. Although we possibly would not be scared into panic buying as most of us would be unaware that others were panic buying. And by the time we discovered folk were panic buying it would be too late as everything will have vanished . . . . . .Mmmmmmmmmm as it happened that is what happened to me even with the internet . . . . . . . DAMN.

Life inside on Lockdown 

I am lucky enough to have a nice house with a large garden so can stay sane . . . . . . . sort of.

An A to Z Coronavirus observational guide. . . V

V

The Virus and the Vaccine

One of the most worrying aspects of Covid-19 is the fact that there is as yet no vaccine. This is the reason that so many of us are in lockdown. Although tonight (at the time of writing as I try to maintain a slight buffer on my A to Z journey) I noticed that a government spokesman has said that the first human trials of a vaccine will start in a couple of days in the UK.  This is good and we have to hope that the vaccine proves to be effective. Normally these sorts of trials take years, but it is extremely hard to maintain the sort of lockdown we are currently experiencing for any length of time without folk getting rebellious. A bit like folk in the USA; they have become rebellious after just a week or so and they are much scarier than us British folk as many are armed with weapons and can be a bit trigger happy.  

I have to say it is certainly surprising how fast Covid-19 can move through a population. Here in the UK almost every care home has had a least one incident of the virus and the death toll is rising rapidly as most of the folk in the care homes are those at most risk. Hopefully if a vaccine is found quickly these people and key workers will be first in line to get the vaccine . . . . . Well probably second after the members of the government who will no doubt insist they should be at the front of the queue. . . . . not that I’m cynical but.  

A Government Spokesman 

An A to Z Coronavirus observational guide. . . U

U

USA

The USA has sadly become the place that is suffering the most from Covid-19. Although statistically Mr Trump has been keen to tell us that based on the population it is not as bad as some other countries.  Now I have to admit I am not a fan of Mr Trump, but to be fair he is the sort of President that folk either love or hate. I personally feel he is leading the USA down a dangerous path in his keenness to get the US economy back on track. I suspect (as other do) that with a presidential election looming he wants to show the country is doing well. The risk of course is that it potentially may lead to an even greater surge in Covid-19 cases.

One of the virtues and weaknesses of the American people is their stubbornness and maverick attitude to life. Mr Trump has an almost fanatical following among some and they believe that they have the right to be free to roam where and when they want. To them the individual is king and master of his own destiny. Unfortunately there are few ways to stop Covid-19 spreading at present without everyone being in Lockdown, and that is something unacceptable to many in the US. They would argue it is not the states place to tell folk they can’t go out and do the things they would normally do.

The result I fear is that these conflicts between state and the individual and Mr Trump’s own mixed messages at times will result in many many more US citizens dying. I hope I am wrong but I don’t think I am.

An A to Z Coronavirus observational guide. . . T

T

Testing

One of the big issues that keeps coming up in Britain is testing folk for Covid-19. The government seem to be missing their own goals on testing people and as a result then get quite a lot of hassle from the media. As far as I can tell this is to some degree the government’s own fault. Had they early on said there were going to be problems in testing large numbers of people, in particular front line health workers such as nurses and doctors them maybe they would be under less pressure.  I think they failed to realise that the worldwide demand for tests was so high that they suddenly found themselves at the back of the queue. They also said they were hoping to have a test to show who had built up antibody immunity and have paid for three million tests. It was to be the way to get everyone back to work quickly. The problem though is that this test has turned out to be unreliable when it itself was tested. So it sort of scuppered the government’s plans forcing them to fall back on the same test as used by the vast majority of the rest of the world.

Anyway the result of all this is the number of tests on people to see if they have Covid-19 in the UK is low compared to many other countries. And it appears that the countries that manage to undertake high levels of testing are also the ones that have the lowest numbers of Covid-19 cases and in turn lower numbers of deaths. It has been speculated by some that the UK’s number of deaths could possibly end up the highest in Europe. If this proves to be true then it may well be the government who will be blamed by both the media and public . . . . . We will see.