COVID: Living In The Heart Of The Beast
Kent, England, December 22nd, 2020, and a COVID drama is unfolding right on our doorstep. In the last 48 hours over 40 countries have suspended all flights to and from the UK and our nearer neighbours in Europe have closed all other UK transport routes, following discovery of a new variant of COVID here in England.
The source of this new variant, which evidently spreads considerably more rapidly than the parent version, is the county of Kent, which is precisely where we live. Not so long ago, the UK Government decreed that any country with an infection rate of over 20 per 100,000 population was a “dangerous” country: now, districts neighbouring our home are reporting rates around 950 per 100,000. There are a lot of very scary statistics.
Kent is also home to Dover, the UK’s busiest ferry port and the route through which a large percentage of food imports and exports pass through, and which is currently closed after France closed access to and from the UK. Over 900 trucks are this morning parked on a former airfield some 10 miles from our home, and there is talk of food shortages if the situation isn’t resolved quickly.
And yet, despite the restrictions we do have in place, our lockdown is not as extreme as some other countries: there is no curfew, no compulsory mask wearing outdoors, no universal free testing, and social distancing is not being enforced as rigorously as it was earlier in the year.
As residents of Kent, effectively living in the heart of this beast, we are keeping ourselves as isolated as we can and venturing out only for exercise once daily and picking up essentials such as food.
Not only are our travels on hold, but, once again, life is too.
12 Comments
normareadtalktalknet
This is horrendous isn’t it.. Hang in there 😱xx
Andrew Petcher
And BREXIT to come in just a few days time.
John and Susan
What a mess! We are reading the new mutation is not as bad as reported as the new vaccines will still be able to control it. The main problem is the lax mandatory guidelines on mask wearing, social distancing, and stay at home requirements.
Here in Colombia the government just ordered a nation wide mandatory holiday quarantine. All non essential places will be closed at 6 pm on the 23rd. Like the whole world the numbers are going back up. Stay safe and at home!
Phil & Michaela
We can’t wait to get our vaccinations but we are well down the list, we will just have to be patient. Stay safe.
Marie
We’ve been watching the news over the past few days and its dreadful. Those lorry queues!! As we head into even tighter restrictions from today here in Dublin, all we can do is try and hang in there! Stay safe and best wishes for Christmas – here’s to 2021……
Phil & Michaela
Hopefully the problem has now been solved and the French border is now open. Have a good Christmas
Monkey's Tale
Stay safe 🙂
Phil & Michaela
👍 You too
Gilda Baxter
Looks like Kent has been turned into a lorry car park. A taste of what it is to come with a possibility of a no deal Brexit. Very sad indeed. Keep well guys merry Christmas to you and I hope 2021 will be a better year.
Phil & Michaela
Have a good Christmas Gilda, lets hope we can all get moving again in 2021 😊
Annie E Berger
Phil and Michaela,
Sad to read how life with the virus has become even more challenging for you both as a result of the new variant. I hope that you’ll be able to receive the vaccine soon and that it will also prove resistant to any variations of this ghastly pandemic.
Here’s hoping for a healthier and happier new year that will allow you to get back on the road!
All the best,
Annie
Phil & Michaela
Many thanks Annie, lets hope for more freedom in the New Year and that we can all start travelling again 🙂