How Coronavirus impacted us in 2020
When we look back on this period of our lives it will be hard to remember just what has changed. Things will have gone back to normal (whatever the new normal will be) but people will have been lost, lives will have been changed and I don’t think things will ever really be the same again. And we will forget some of the smaller things that changed during this and I want to be able to remember them. This, therefore, is my place marker, as copied from social media.
Queen Elizabeth II addressed the nation at 8pm on Sunday 5th April. Shortly after this the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital himself with Covid-19. At 7pm on April 6th he was admitted to intensive care.
The PM had previously implemented a lockdown across the country on the evening of Monday 23rd of March 2020.
Excel in London is now known as the NHS Nightingale and will be a hospital for up to 4,000 patients, most of whom are on ventilators suffering from Coronavirus (Covid-19). Opened by Prince Charles at 11am Friday 3rd April via video link. Similar venues are being set up in cities across the country.
Community support groups established, to support the vulnerable, elderly, immunocompromised and people in enforced isolation due to exposure, in their community
From Thursday 26th March at 8pm and every Thursday night thereafter, people stood united on their doorsteps, balconies and open windows and applauded and cheered for all the amazingly brave NHS staff who so courageously and selflessly battled on to try and save as many lives as possible
Petrol price close to home was £1.03 per litre for unleaded.
Schools closed on Friday 20 March, potentially for the remainder of the school year. Parents were home schooling and teachers were doing remote learning using apps like Zoom for virtual lessons.
Social distancing measures required a minimum of 2 meters
Tape on the floors of shops to help distance shoppers from each other and there were one way systems in the aisles.
Limited number of people were allowed inside stores, queuing outside the store doors, still 2 meters apart
Inside the stores the shelves were often stripped of loo roll, pasta, flour and eggs. For weeks. Tins were also in short supply.
Non-essential stores and businesses mandated to close. People who can are instructed to work from home
The Government paid 80% of wages to all employees across the country who were furloughed due to Covid-19 and set up grants for many self employed people.
Every airline grounded either all or at least 85% of its fleet. All crew were grounded and some used their skills to work for the NHS in Nightingale Hospital, the Ambiance Service, 111 telephone handlers or community support.
Most of BA’s planes were parked at Bournemouth Airport in a long row. A sight not seen since WWII
Air pollution improved. Rivers cleaned up. City & traffic emissions reduced.
Parks, trails, entire cities closed or restricted to locals who can get there by foot. Not permitted to drive anywhere to exercise. Allowing one form of exercise per day.
Entire sports seasons cancelled. No Wimbledon, no end to the Premiership, no Boat Race, no London Marathon. A virtual Grand National was held on 4th April 2020.
Olympics postponed to 2021.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events all cancelled.
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings and even funerals cancelled or held with no guests in attendance
Families got creative and found entertaining ways of passing time by doing Tik Tok videos or going Live on Facebook.
Singers and bands played live sets on their driveways or on their balconies for all to hear. Bands unable to tour offered their tour buses to hospitals for staff to sleep in
Households that can’t see their friends and loved ones come together across the country by using Zoom or Houseparty to play games or host pub quiz nights.
No masses, churches are closed
No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, then 10 or more. Now, Don’t socialize with anyone outside of your home
Children’s outdoor play parks are closed
But they get creative at home and decorate windows and doors with signs thanking posties, rainbows, teddy bears, and words of thanks to key workers and the NHS
We are to distance from each other. Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill in many parts of the world. Formula 1 racing teams and Virgin Galactic designed and produced ventilators in the space of a week.
Refrigerated trucks for the dead outside hospitals in the USA, Italy, Spain, China and more. Ice rinks being used as mortuaries in many countries.
Panic buying sets in and we have limits on toilet paper, disinfecting supplies, paper towels, staple foods, hand sanitizer. Flour is hard to get because the packaging comes from China and borders are closed.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE
Fines are established for breaking lockdown rules
Stadiums and recreation facilities overseas open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients and Public Park areas turned into caravan parks for stranded tourists to self isolate
Press conferences daily from the PM and other government officials. Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths
People wearing masks and gloves outside
Essential service workers are terrified to go to work
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families
64,727 deaths globally so far as at 4 April 2020. 4,313 in the UK.
This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, WHO declared March 11th, 2020.
As a family it has hit us hard, financially. My youngest lost all three jobs overnight, my son is at risk of being furloughed and Mr B is in an industry that has been decimated the virus so who knows what impact this will have long term. Work for me has never been so quiet.
My eldest is pregnant and having to have her ante natal appointments alone, with staff in full PPE meeting her in the car park. When she goes into labour her husband will have to leave soon after the birth and will only be permitted to visited for two hours a day. God knows when we will be allowed to visit and hold our new grandchild.
I am keeping a more personal weekly diary here as a record in years to come of just what this time was like.
We have so much we need to appreciate that we take for granted.
Be thankful. Be grateful.
Be kind to each other – love one another – support everyone
We are all one! Stay home, stay safe.