Living Through a Global Pandemic

Yeah... that title also doesn't seem real to me either. 😳.

I can't lie, life right now seems totally surreal. I feel as if I am a character just adding to the storyline of a film. I mean perhaps we are just waiting on the aliens to land now? I mean I genuinely wouldn't be surprised at this point.

Once again, I can't lie, but I am absolutely sick of all COVID-19 - aka Coronavirus - talk already, and something is telling me it wont be going away any time soon. It is on the news, it's in the gal's group chats, it's trending on twitter, the WhatsApp mums are going mad, both work colleagues and customers won't shut up about it. But what really is it? It's a virus which is a new, strong, and deadly strain of the coronavirus viruses, and it ultimately affects your lungs and airways after experiencing typical flu-like symptoms.

When Coronavirus was first talked about, it was labelled as ‘just the flu’ and it most definitely wasn’t anything to worry about, since it was spreading across China alllll that way away. Remember, just a few weeks ago 'Wuhan Market' was trending globally, after the Chinese government announced the virus may have came from there. All those videos emerged of citizens eating 'bat soup', live insects, crazy sea creatures, and not forgetting the leaked footage of living dogs in cages, being sold for food (I did well up, but I understand that this is normality in their culture and so you have to accept it). But yeah - ohh hell were we wrong.

Big, big yikes.

First, cruise ships were being quarantined in the middle of the ocean, people were then chucked onto coaches and driven around the UK in full PPE gear, whilst the driver was chilling as normal, you know... not even sporting a pair of gloves or a simple mask... but whatever, it won't affect any of us, right?

Nope, WRONG.

Italy, fu*ked, Spain fu*ked, and I don't doubt for two seconds that we are inevitably next. Lockdown is definitely not a far away situation in my opinion. In fact, it is probably a suitable solution right now, maybe to help us mitigate the spread of the virus already, since it is already in the UK now? Hello... earth to BoJo?

Anyhow, next up... panic buying. Unsurprisingly enough, the people of the UK have outdone themselves on the selfish scale. Ah, no pasta, no toilet rolls, no hand sanitiser, and many empty supermarket shelves, all because a classic Karen has popped over to Asda, Tesco and Aldi to buy 45 toilet rolls for her and the hubby, and enough pasta to feed an entire nation. Soooo necessary! 🤪

So cutting to less of the sarcasm, I understand it is a stressful time, but I wish people would stop behaving like they're in The Hunger Games, and just buy their usual weekly food shop since their excessiveness is causing many to go without. I’ve seen so many tear-jerking posts on social media this week, particularly focusing on elderly people and their inability to buy any basic products. Many people are going to struggle in these times of need, especially the elderly, because they just can’t get to the shops as quick as the rest of us, or they're turning up just to be left with empty shelves. People are definitely forgetting to be kind, however I'm not shocked in the slightest since it is the UK we are talking about here, and the country is run by Boris Johnson...

Stay inside. This won't last forever, but becoming critically ill could be fatal - as could naively going about your everyday life, with the idea that you aren't going to pass the virus to everyone you come in contact with if you happen to get it. Reality checkkkkk, you will!

So far, the UK's advice to help avoid catching and/or spreading COVID-19 is as follows:

DO:

- wash your hands with soap and water often, and for at least 20 seconds (sing happy birthday twice)

- always wash your hands when you get home or into work

- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available

- put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

- try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell

- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze (🤧 as if you shouldn't already be doing all of these anyway, yuck)

DO NOT:

- touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

- try not to travel or go anywhere you don't have to, if you can stay inside, stay inside

Times like these are certainly evoking much anxiety, paranoia and distress, therefore we must stick to rules and look out for each other to keep everyone safe. Personally I am worried for how drastically my own mental health is going to drop. Going from being a total extrovert, always partying or socialising with friends, to ultimately becoming a hermit back in Wales *shudders*, isolated and by myself if things do turn drastic. That is a painful thought.

I'm thinking we could all now take this sheltered, bizarre, and hopefully (🤞) once-in-a-lifetime experience to find ourselves, start a new hobby, read books again, educate ourselves more, bake a cake, or simply expand those culinary skills. You could even have that huge sort out that has been getting put off for the last six months. Anything, just make sure you’re keeping healthy and staying indoors.

Mia

xo