28th April 2020

Looking at the latest international data, the UK has recorded the highest rate of increase in deaths over the past week, raising concerns among experts that a prolonged coronavirus peak could result in the UK becoming the worst-hit country in Europe. Although the peak of the crisis in the UK is believed to have passed in early April, the five-day average of daily deaths has stubbornly remained above 600.

This is one chart no one wants to top, serving as a stark reminder of how deadly this situation remains, particularly for those who still fail to take it seriously. There will be valid reasons why the country finds itself in this unenviable position. However, rather than allowing the debate to descend into futile recriminations, we, politicians, medical experts, and the public, must focus on what needs to be done to tackle this crisis. If blame is to be assigned, it can be done later.

Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has advised people in Scotland to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces, such as on public transport and in shops, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. While the use of cloth coverings, such as scarves, will not be mandatory, official Scottish Government guidance suggests the measure could help reduce transmission. Possibly, this is the first time I have ever agreed with this ‘one-string bow’ politician. No doubt she has been strongly influenced by measures across Europe, where mask-wearing will be compulsory on public transport throughout Germany, and nearly all states will also require face coverings in shops. Seems eminently sensible to me.

The rain forecast for yesterday arrived during the night and continued relentlessly throughout the day. My morning cycle ride turned into a cold, wet ordeal, hardly enjoyable in the slightest. The only highlight was passing a female swan (pen) sitting on her nest while her mate (cob) gathered reeds to tuck into the sides of the heap, likely in an effort to raise its level.

In just over an hour, I saw only a handful of runners or dog walkers, all of whom were huddled under umbrellas or buried inside hooded rain gear. No one so much as glanced up as I splashed past.

Ironically, the ‘Outsunny’ awning I had ordered for the balcony, meant to arrive last week, was delivered today! It was left in the garage, waiting for the next sunny day to be fitted, which, according to the BBC weather forecast, won’t be for another week.

I spent the rest of the day in my study, sorting, saving, and copying holiday videos onto various drives. By evening, I finally ‘bit the bullet’ and ordered a new 4TB drive from Amazon to keep everything in one place. Meanwhile, Sue spent her day sorting through Uncle Stanley’s paperwork and other paraphernalia, as well as dealing with a flood of emails related to the Tenbury Wells group she’s a member of. We barely saw each other all day!

29/04/20
Boris Johnson’s partner, Carrie Symonds, gave birth today. Meanwhile, with several countries beginning to ease restrictions, there has been much discussion in the media about lifting the UK lockdown. Business Secretary Alok Sharma outlined five key tests that must be met before any easing of restrictions:

1. Protecting the NHS – Ensuring the healthcare system can cope, with sufficient critical care capacity and specialist treatment available across the UK.
2. A sustained fall in deaths – The daily coronavirus death rate must show a consistent decline, confirming that we have passed the peak.
3. Reliable infection data – SAGE must provide robust evidence that the rate of infection is decreasing to manageable levels across the country.
4. Operational readiness – Testing capacity and PPE supplies must be secure and capable of meeting future demand.
5. Preventing a second peak – Any adjustments to current measures must not risk a resurgence of infections that could overwhelm the NHS.

Significantly, Germany now faces the prospect of reintroducing stricter lockdown measures as both the number and rate of coronavirus infections have begun to rise again. Previously hailed as one of Europe’s most successful countries in tackling the pandemic, Germany started easing restrictions on 20 April, allowing small businesses to reopen as the virus’s reproduction rate fell.

Officials have reportedly suggested it is too early to determine whether the lifting of restrictions directly caused the increase. However, with the country’s overall number of COVID-19 cases rising by 1,018 on Monday and 1,144 on Tuesday, is it really so difficult to draw a logical connection between cause and effect? Are these officials truly impartial analysts, or simply politicians reluctant to admit mistakes? Fingers crossed that, when the UK government begins easing restrictions, it first examines closely how other countries have fared in their attempts to return to normality.

From the US comes something equally concerning: video footage of Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to the Mayo Clinic on Tuesday, where he failed to wear any protective garments while touring the medical centre, despite strict requirements that all patients and visitors wear masks. At one point, the footage shows at least ten people, including a patient, wearing masks around him, while he alone remained maskless. CNN even reports that he was the only person in the entire building not wearing one. If, in the future, something were to happen to Trump, this is the man who would be in charge, Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

Meanwhile, little of note happened at Willow Bank. Sue spent the day making gooseberry chutney, while I went on a two-hour cycle ride before sowing a row of carrots and printing DVD covers for holiday videos from 2019. The weather was damp and cold.

Lucas received an award from school, ‘Chef of the Week’, perhaps a future in catering awaits him? Sarah has finished decorating the nursery, though she cunningly blanked out the baby’s name in the photo she sent on Messenger. With less than four weeks to go, the anticipation is building!

Elsewhere, Ruth’s son Joey celebrated his 10th birthday today.

30/04/20

Today marks the 100th birthday of Captain Tom Moore, the heroic war veteran who has now raised an astonishing £30 million for the NHS. As the ultimate birthday honour, the Queen has awarded him the honorary title of Colonel.

To celebrate his centenary, he was also treated to a special World War Two RAF flypast. A Hurricane and a Spitfire took off from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire at around 7:45 am on Thursday and flew to Bedfordshire, where they performed loops over the veteran’s home.

Another cold, wet, and miserable day in Leicestershire. While I spent most of the morning cycling through soggy fields, Sue set about making rhubarb gin. She picked and chopped fresh rhubarb from a small patch in the garden before packing it into a large jar with sugar. She plans to leave it to marinate for 24 hours before adding a bottle of gin we’ve had for two years.

Later, I managed to pot on a few cucumber plants between showers before we both settled down in the afternoon and started a game of Monopoly on the Wii. The game was evenly balanced when we paused for tea; it will have to be continued on the next rainy afternoon, provided nothing more pressing arises.

In the evening, we watched the National Theatre’s production of Frankenstein. Benedict Cumberbatch gave a superb performance as the monster, well worth watching for that alone. As expected, the staging was imaginative and effective, though the plot relied heavily on the audience being familiar with the book. Disappointingly, Frankenstein’s father was grossly miscast, leaving us wondering what the director was thinking.

It was a work-from-home day for the rest of the family, though for some, they also had an audience. Netflix seemed to be the entertainment of choice for the evening.