We live in a global pandemic. Like it or not, it is the way it is.
As of today, more than 1.15 million people died of Covid-19 and more than 43 million cases were confirmed worldwide. And we are not yet at the end of it. No, we are rather right in the middle; weary, scared, annoyed, and a lot more – but at least alive!
Seven months ago the Covid level in the UK was raised to 4, meaning ‘the virus is wide-spread and the number of infections are increasing’. With it came the lockdown.
Three months later the level was reduced from 4 to 3, as the lockdown had helped to slow the wild spread of the virus. In Scotland we moved into phase 2 of the route map out of lockdown, and over the summer into phase 3, each step coming with more easing of restrictions.
We all had a bit of a breather. Me and my boys were cautiously optimistic and did our best to enjoy the summer holidays, though we didn’t take the risk of travelling.
In August the summer holidays came to an end, and a new life began for all of us: our boy started highschool. After five months of home schooling and without any organised sports classes, we fell into a new routine, with five days of school and two evenings of running in an athletics club. All the other pre-covid evening activities – fencing, swimming, and Scouts – were still cancelled due to being indoors and falling under tight restrictions.
All the while we kept our eyes on the confirmed cases, holding our breath, wondering whether the fact that school was back on, that people were coming back from holidays, that all in all people were more and more relaxed and less strict about sticking to the rules of social distancing, would see the number of infections soaring again?
At first they didn’t. But then they did.
Especially during September when the universities started opening up again and a mass movement of students across the country happened, in addition to all the other higher risk, infection transmitting factors coming into action – school restart, hospitality industry reopening, sport facilities reopening.
Since the end of September we are back to the UK Coronavirus alert level 4. The number of infections are rising, the virus is wide-spread.
In Scotland just now almost 1,000 patients are treated for Coronavirus in hospitals, about 100 of them in intensive care, and since yesterday 26 people died.
No surprise, we face tighter restrictions again. In the moment the pubs and bars stay closed, in the hope to keep schools and higher education open. But will it work? Halloween is on the doorstep, then Guy Fawks night, not long until Christmas. And naturally, with autumn and winter around, more and more things happen indoors rather than outdoors, which increases the risk of transmission significantly.
Well, we will find out.
Over the last seven months I have learned to stay in the here and now, to take each day and each challenge as it comes, to live within the limits set, and make the most out of it. There are things we can do or chance, and others we have to take as they are, no matter whether we like it or not.
After all, I have my boys, the three of us are safe and well. I know my family abroad is safe and well. And even though I miss a lot of things, I can perfectly well live with what I’ve got.
We just keep going. We keep sticking to the rules – wash hands, cover face, make space – and take it from there. We will get through this. Eventually.