On this date in 2020...5th April

SUNDAY 5TH APRIL 2020

Facts and figures.

621 deaths in the UK in the 24 hours.

Scotland 2 deaths.

Wales 12 deaths.

N. Ireland 7 deaths.

England 555.

Author’s note. This regionalised break-down is fewer than the total 621, but it is apparently due to different home countries taking figures at different times of the day to Public Health England. Quite why they cannot get parity is for you to decide, dear reader. I won’t keep repeating this, but it is something to bear in mind as you continue to read. I can only say that if there is one thing more slippery than an eel, it is corporate figures.

47,806 have so far tested positive for coronavirus.

4,934 total deaths in the UK.

16,702 people have been admitted to hospital with the virus. This figure implies that nearly a third of those admitted to hospital have died so far. We don’t know how many of the 16,702 are still being treated. It seems alarmingly high.

There is very little mentioned about how many people are actually recovering. Johns Hopkins University, who is collating all the data, gives some information. Here are some global stats:

Total number of cases 1.2million.

Fatalities stand at just over 65,000.

People who have recovered from the illness are 252,478. This figure reveals that only 20% of confirmed cases have overcome the disease. Bear in mind that there will be millions more who have had mild symptoms or are asymptomatic and recovered, but these are not recorded as they never go to the hospital.

2,336 spare critical care beds are available for the NHS currently. Over 9,000 ventilators are available across the country. Three hundred ventilators have arrived from China.

27,000 former NHS professionals have re-joined to help the battle against the virus.

 Daily news.

Sunday’s newspaper headlines:

A generation that’s as strong as any.

 – Sunday Express

Queen’s rousing message.

– The Mail on Sunday.

Those who come after us will say that the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.

 -The Sunday Telegraph.

Queen calls on nation to be strong as virus strikes medics.

 – The Sunday Times.

Care Home Time Bomb.

 – Sunday People.

‘Doctor’s can be Covidiots too…’

Incredibly, Dr Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, has been warned by the police over her future conduct after being photographed visiting her second home on two weekends. This person is the face of Scotland who appears on television warning people to stay home and perhaps should not flout her own rules to prevent the spread of the virus. This behaviour is crass and gross hypocrisy. She has said,

 ‘I did what was wrong, and I am sorry.’

She has not been sacked by Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

How grotesque is it that she should think the rules do not apply to her when so many people have sacrificed so much: lost loved ones, lost their jobs, members of the NHS are risking and giving their lives, and people have been unable to go to their loved one’s funerals. Ms Sturgeon says she has not sacked her because she values her expertise and judgment!

4 pm Press Briefing. Matt Hancock Secretary of State for Health.

Mr Hancock says he cannot rule out changing the ‘stay home’ rules if people continue to abuse the exercising concession. Changes to the regulations are not imminent; however, most of the public are following the rules.

A flock of birds.

Belfast, Glasgow, and Cardiff are also having new ‘Nightingale’ hospitals built to deal with the virus. These three new locations are in addition to Bristol, Harrogate, Birmingham, Manchester and of course the Excel Centre in London. The next Nightingale hospital to open will be the NEC at Birmingham.

Sharing is caring.

The government has launched new technology, a coronavirus status checker. People who currently have coronavirus symptoms can share their experiences to help fight against the virus and understand it better. I understand the need for this, but I hope they have factored in all the weird and nasties who will abuse this and make fake calls, etc.

Growth spurt.

The last 24 hours have seen a surge in new cases, and they are still upwardly mobile and growing quite a lot. We are told to expect this as more and more testing takes place.

In truth, all of the slides shown by Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer relating to hospital admissions, new cases, and deaths, are growing in number.

Various operational issues have occurred relating to the supply of oxygen to patients, notably at Watford Hospital, when patients had to be moved due to having insufficient oxygen. The government assures us that there is sufficient oxygen to go around.

Author’s note. If there wasn’t would they tell us?

There is a suggestion in the media that the lockdown ending plan may include allowing sections of the community out at different times. Jenny Harries says it is a possible solution, but the reality is that we don’t know how many of the population have had the virus and what the immunity looks like in sufficient detail. They are conscious that they do not want to release the lockdown too early and then have a second spike. It would waste all of the efforts made so far.

Jenny Harries cannot estimate the number of people who have the virus. It is a testing issue to do with confidence, and these tests are nowhere near available in sufficient numbers.

It seems to be pretty certain now that the virus can be spread in a respiratory way or by people touching items, depositing the virus, which is then touched by others.

If you have had the virus, the science does not know how high any immunity is, if at all. Nor how low the shedding of the virus is in such a person and for how long. Social distancing will, therefore, remain until the scientists have confidence in answers to these questions.

Further, late news reveals that the Scottish Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood, caught abusing her own ‘stay at home’ rules, has now resigned.

The Queen’s Speech.

At 8 pm, we had the Queen’s speech. It can be seen from some of the headlines above that the newspapers were given snippets ahead of time.

It was filmed in the White drawing room at Windsor Castle, where the Queen is currently residing. Filming occurred in that room so that there could be sufficient space between a solitary cameraman and the Queen. The cameraman wore a face mask and gloves. The other members of the TV crew were in a different room to limit the risk of infecting our Monarch, quite rightly, of course. Her Royal Highness is 92 years old, and it could be calamitous were she to contract the virus.

It was a genuinely stirring and emotional speech by Her Majesty, which included the following:

‘I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time, a time of disruption in the life of our country that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all. While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed – and that success will belong to every one of us.

It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made, in 1940, helped by my sister. We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety. Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now, as then, we know deep down, that is the right thing to do.

I hope in the years to come; everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded…And those who come after us will say that the Britons of this generation were as strong as any. That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow feeling still characterise this country. We will see our friends again. We will see our family again. We will meet again.’

Well said, your Majesty. The final line alludes to the famous World War 2 song ‘We’ll meet again.’ By Vera Lynn. I have included the bulk of the Queen’s address as I thought it was a great message to send out to the nation; it was moving and stirring for us.

 BREAKING NEWS!

Around 10 pm, the nation was informed that our PRIME MINISTER HAS BEEN ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL.

He still has not recovered from COVID-19 after ten days and he has a temperature. Apparently, the viral symptoms come in waves, and you can feel better one day and then suddenly get overwhelmed again and go quickly downhill. Downing Street says it is not an emergency admission to the hospital, but Mr Johnson needs to have checks done to ensure his organs are still working okay. They say it is not that the illness has worsened; instead, it is persistent, which is precautionary. I guess they would say that in any case.

 I just hope he is okay and can get the other side of this vicious virus. It is worrying. Mr Johnson is still officially head of the government, but Dominic Raab will chair the Coronavirus Cabinet meeting tomorrow morning (known as CR 19).

 Family life.

We will meet again.

It is awful for those separated from their children and grandchildren, but we must be resolute and realise we will eventually see them again and be able to hug them and be close. I have sent my daughter, Lily the helpful reading sheets and poems from the school letter, to address any concerns she might be feeling. It would be helpful, I think, to some kiddies. I circulated it on social media in case anyone else can make use of it.

In the midst of all this, we had a family Skype call at 4 pm with my family. I did a general knowledge quiz, which was fun. They all seem to be coping well. It is a welcome distraction and great to just check-in and see everyone.

Quote of the day:

 ‘With the royal family, you don’t want to see them as people because it takes the sheen off. They’re distant; you can idealise them. But there’s room to have compassion and see them as human beings. Just because they’re royalty doesn’t mean they don’t love or feel loss or feel pain.’ -Claire Foy

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