I have decided to suspend this thread as Covid-19 seems to have largely dropped out of our consciousness. So, this will be the last post.
Appropriately, it's the fifth anniverary of the first Covid-19 lockdowns, so maybe that's an appropriate point to finish on.
Image of the Coronavirus [Source unknown]
Preamble
The first European countries to lock down, shut their borders, stop ferries and ground flights were Italy and Spain, the two countries expected to be most at threat.
Other governments delayed slightly, eg France and Germany, and the UK by a catastrophic two weeks.
[Photo courtesy of Ipsos]
And how did it all turn out?
The decisive and draconian lockdowns in Italy and Spain saved many thousands of lives.
The reckless delay by the UK - Boris "Bojo The Clown" Johnson, the prime minister, maintaining there was little or no threat for two weeks and allowing major sports events to go ahead - led to many thousands of unnecessary deaths.
Other nonsensical measures, eg shutting pubs and restaurants completely; shutting down live theatre throughout the country; closing museums and art galleries; curtailing public transport, eg buses, trams, trains and underground services; schools were closed; and banning funerals were out of all proportion and the repercussions are still being felt.
Bojo the Clown [Facebook]
Government ministers of the time are still being investigated for ignoring medical and civil service advice; and for corruption.
The partying in Parliament and at Number 10 ultimately led to Bojo's downfall.
Ongoing investigations into Matt Hancock for incompetence and corruption and carrying on an affair;
and special adviser Dominic Cummings, who broke travel rules with impunity, illustrate the hypocrisy of our leaders at that critical time.
Hancock caught in the act [The Sun]
The lies and cover-ups by politicians are an absolute disgrace.
Spain
In Spain where I lived then, and still do, the lockdowns were brutal and policed by all three police forces.
Some say now that what prime minister 
did was over-the-top and even illegal. Illegal or not, that man saved thousands of lives.
Under lockdown you had to stay at home. You were not allowed to leave your municipality. Hard for flat dwellers; not so bad for people like me who lived in fincas with land in the countryside.
One member of a household only was permitted to shop for food, medicines, tobacco (Doh!), and fuel, and visit the doctor or hospital emergency departments. Nothing else.
Pedro Sanchez [Photo by El Mundo]
As my house has a Ronda postcode, I was permitted to drive alone to Ronda for any of the above. I was stopped every time I went and quizzed about my reasons for wishing to go into the centre. I told them I was planning to do several permitted activities.
"Make sure you keep your receipts, then, because we'll be checking you on the way back out."
Covid-19 road block [Spain in English]
If you had a dog, you were allowed to take it for a short walk. Not a problem for me. My dog Bertie had a huge garden to go at.
My gardener was not allowed to come to work, so I gradually got stuck in and did the work he would normally have done for me. Mowing lawns, weeding, pruning, and repairing and restoring garden furniture.
When the lockdown requirements eased somewhat, you could sit outside a café in groups of no more than four; you could go to exhibitions wearing a mask; theatres and concerts started up again, whereby you had to leave a metre gap between you and others and keep your mask on.
Berti sunbathing by the pool [Paul Whitelock]
People heeded the rules about not greeting each other with an embrace or a handshake. We learned to touch elbows or knuckles. We were taught how to wash our hands correctly. Even the many men that never used to wash their hands after going to the toilet started to do so religiously. People largely did what they were told.
Alas, it didn't last. When I go to the bathroom nowadays, I'm about the only man who washes his hands.
When vaccines were approved and made available free, most people went for them. I've had all five that I have been entitled to up to now.
[Facultad de Tecnologia Valencia]
In countries like Germany, there are too many "bolshie" people, refuseniks and others who opt not to claim their vaccinations. There are a few in my extended family, I am surprised to learn. What is the matter with these people?
So, five years on, as we count the cost - failed businesses; bars and restaurants that have gone under; a huge increase in cases of mental illness; increased suicide amongst young men; anxious children who have lost at least a year of schooling; post-Covid issues including memory loss, agoraphobia, breathing difficulties and loss of balance - I am left wondering how much worse it could have been.
Endword
Should you contract Covid-19, keep away from others and wear a mask until your symptoms have disappeared.
Keep healthy!
[Image by Bruegel]
© Paul Whitelock
Photos and Images:
Bruegel, El Mundo, Facebook, Facultad de Tecnologia Valencia, Ipsos, Paul Whitelock, Spain in English, The Sun
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