Coronavirus

I awoke this morning at about 3am after 6hrs or so of sleep.  I'm losing interest in everything except for one thing.  It's on my mind 24x7.  It has been on my mind for the last 2 months ever since it was reported early January in China.

Covid-19 is a dangerously contagious virus which has spread out of China around the globe.  The World Health Organisation have declared it a major pandemic.  It's not only highly infectious, the death rate is running at somewhere between 1 to 10 percent depending on country location.  It's persistent and long lasting in those infected.  Fevers with breathing difficulties possibly needing hospitalisation and the real risk that ICU's will be over run.  A vaccine is a year away.  And I'm scared.  No not worried.  I'm proper scared.

I'm watching this site like a hawk.  https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/  It's early doors, yet the pandemic is wreaking havoc in Italy, Iran and Spain and is in every country around the world.  I fear it could make the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic look like a nice walk in the park.  Governments around the world are taking extraordinary action to prepare and protect its peoples from it.  I'm opened mouthed at the death rates.  It's only just started and healthcare systems are already overloaded.

The UK is now into the exponential upturn and the NHS are preparing for one helluva battle to save lives.  I'm calling everyone asking them to take care.  To stay at home.  To self isolate.  Kathryn is stuck in Spain.  Julia has a suppressed immune system due to Crohn's disease.  I have 3 poorly sisters; two of whom are COPD patients.  I have old frail uncles and aunties.  My brother is diabetic yet is still working with his son.  I'm pleading with him to stop work.  I'm fecking scared for him.  Fuck the cycling right now.  I'll occasionally use the magnetic trainer but now is not the time to be thinking of any cycling holidays.  The UK, Europe and the world are in fecking lock down.  This is gonna be bad...

Somehow I've stepped into a horror film.  A zombie film where slowly but surely every person becomes infected with the germ.  I'm in the film Cloverfield.  I'm battening down the hatches and running and hiding.  Frighteningly, as in the film and as hard as one might try I expect to eventually get caught anyway.  I'm a late 50's diabetic.  These might be some of the last words I ever write.

I'll write some more about my thoughts, feelings and observations tomorrow.

Please everybody.  Stay safe.  Take care of yourselves.  Stay at home.  Support the NHS.  Support each other.  PLEASE!!!


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