Within hours of posting my last post, our lives changed even further and now 2 weeks on, we’ve had big changes again! We are in what is being called ‘lock down’ with travel restrictions and businesses having to close unless deemed essential. If you can work from home you can, but if your job outside the home is not deemed ‘essential’, then you stay at home.
All schools are still closed, no visiting hospitals or nursing homes. No travel further than 2 km from your home…. and allowed to do that only for light exercise.
‘Essential’ shops are still open. Groceries stores can’t cope with the requests for home deliveries.
There is talk of even more restrictions coming in the next day or so.
A whole new language has developed around this Corona Virus.
Stay at home….. is the main phrase being used. Families not being allowed to visit each other. Grandparents and grandchildren being separated. It is tough but it is for the good of all.
Cocooning…. anyone over 70 is being asked to stay indoors, other than to maybe go into the garden (if they have one).
Flattening the Curve…. they are trying to slow down the spread of the disease, hence all the measures that have been put in place.
Self-Isolation… as many people rushed to get back into the country/home from abroad, all are being asked to go into ‘self-isolation’ for a period of 14 days, the length of time it can take for symptoms to develop.
As I say live has changed utterly.
However, there are pluses to this.
We Irish can be very proud of how our politicians have taken the lead. It is not easy. And no matter what you may think of their politics, I think they are doing a wonderful job and deserve every praise we can give them. This was our Taoiseach (Prime Minister) on St. Patrick’s Day.
Also, the majority of Irish people are adhering to the requested restrictions to our lives. Of course, there are the lunatics who still gather and have parties, but they will regret this. In typical Irish fashion there has to be an upside… and instead of referring to the current situation as a ‘lock down’, we are referring to it as a ‘lock-in’.
For the uninitiated a ‘lock-in’ happens when you go to the pub, closing time arrives, but everyone is having such fun… the doors are locked with the people still inside partying, often in a back room, so that the front rooms have no lights on, and no-one knows you are in there!!! It does sound a lot better doesn’t it?
We are keeping ourselves busy with outside jobs at the moment as the weather has been good. If, and when, the weather changes there are plenty of indoor jobs to be tackled.
How has Corona Virus impacted on your life?
A Year In Redwood 