What is Covid-19 like on the other side of the pond?

[Composite]

Is everyone REALLY following the advice....or are they doing everything they can get away with right up to edge of the rules...and over a bit? I think it’s fair to say that everyone I hear from has an excuse for their rule breaking...”well...she’s old”....”he’s my grandson”......”I haven’t seen them for a while”.....”no-one can tell me what to do”....... “it’s unfair” (that’s my fave)....”who says anyway?”..... indeed, EVERYONE seems to have “justification” for their own non-compliance. One thing’s for sure, I doubt very much if the vaccine will get into folk quicker than the virus will over the holidays. They reckon that the UK will be able to vaccinate 1m a week.....there’s c60m of us....Happy Xmas....2021.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I have to say that at least MY family comply with the rules... in fact my wife is extremely protective of me! Being in the vulnerable group I have to take more care than would usually be the case, although when it comes to having the vaccine it must have its benefits... I get to jump the queue! Everyone is still keen to thank our 'wonderful' NHs staff for the work they are doing, and to a point I agree that this should be the case. But my thanks only go to those actually dealing with Covid patients, the rest cab bugger off as far as I am concerned.

Some weeks ago I started with what appeared to be a chest infection, and then a terrible cough. On the Friday morning I booked a Covid test, and actually managed to get it for that same morning! Even more surprising, I got my results on the Saturday morning. The result was negative, but that still left me with the problem of the cough. I can only speak for my own GP surgery, but the procedure for us before we can get an appointment is to go on line and fill in an 'e-consult' form. You cannot just phone up and ask to see your GP. So I sat down with my wife on the Sunday night and I spent the next hour or so, filling in the form. The on-line consultation asks you various questions about your condition, and one part even asks you what kind of treatment you would like to receive. This is one question that should NOT be directed at me because of the kind of reply it is bound to provoke me in to doing! I had a simple answer for them: 'I don't know, I am not a qualified doctor, and that is why I am trying to get an appointment.

We eventually got to the end of the form. I hit the 'send'button and promptly got a reply advising me to ring the surgery... which is what I wanted to do in the first place! With part 1 of the mission accomplished, the next task was to ring the surgery and battle my way past the snotty receptionist who is ever so keen to ask far more intrusive questions than she should for someone of her position. I finally managed to secure my telephone consultation with my GP for that same Monday morning. My doctor duly rang, and I explained the problems - and also asked for a face to face consultation - but this was flatly refused. Apparently, because I have a cough, she is not allowed to see me - even though I had proof of me being clear of Covid. So I had to settle for a diagnosis over the phone, but how on earth they can do this is beyond me... lets just hope that she is right.

The following week I had to report to the hospital to have my 'bloods' taken in preparation for my (telephone) consultation with my nephrologist. When I entered the hospital it was like a ghost town, not a soul to be seen anywhere. The phlebotomy department was just as deserted, usually you can be waiting in a queue for up to an hour before you get seen to . But due to Covid, you have to phone up first and get a time slot. On the Tuesday morning of the following week, and the day before my telephone consultation, I got a text message to inform me that due to Covid, and worries over patient safety, my appointment for the following day had been cancelled. I laughed it off - thinking that they had made a mistake and thought that I was calling at the hospital. But at tea time I got a phone call advising me of the same thing. I asked the nurse how the hell I could be put at risk by having a telephone consultation? But she was unable to answer, and I also pointed out that I had already done the risky bit by calling at the hospital to get my bloods done! I have another appointment due at urology shortly... and what's your bet that gets cancelled too!

My disastrous week continued into the weekend, and on the Saturday, Pam and I looked after our eight year old grandson. He had brought his scooter with him - no, not an electric one - and he was riding it up and down our path. In a moment of madness, I took it off him and shot up the path on it. At the top - by the gate and next to my shed - I threw the scooter into a fairly nifty U turn. Upon completing the turn, the front wheel shot to the left, and I was thrown to the right. There is no other way of putting it, but I went down like an overweight sack of shit on my right side. My right hip and knee hit the paving with a sickening thud - which was swiftly followed by my right elbow making contact with the path. The impact forced my shoulder upwards and there was the distinct sound of a 'crack' filling the air. My grandson looked horrified as I lay there on the ground like a beached whale. He said:'I know I'm not supposed to swear, but bloody hell granddad, what did you do that for?' How can you possibly give an answer to that? I'm sure I broke something in my shoulder, and I still have quite a lot of pain from it - even though its now two weeks since I did it. But I'm damned if I am going to the X-ray department to find out.

There is a bloke that lives just across from me at the back, and for a number of years he has had a drink problem. Six weeks ago he had an alcoholic seizure and was rushed in hospital, and within days of his admittance he had caught Covid. He came home the other day and he looks truly dreadful, so much so that I didn't even recognise him when I saw him. As for me, I still go in shops... but I keep my distance and really do behave. But there are so many people who certainly do not, and it is because of these selfish idiots that the virus is still wildly out of control. My own sister caught Covid in hospital a number of weeks ago when she went in for an unrelated issue, and one of my daughters has had it too. When you are in the vulnerable group you cannot help but worry that your luck might run out because of the selfish morons who insist on doing things their way. How awful it must be to catch the virus when you are so close to getting the vaccine.

Cheers,
Steve

[Danmark]

Hang tough Steve!! ...... and yes, 68yr olds on scooters DON'T mix!

Merry Christmas,
Dan

[BodhiEtheridge]

I must say the problem of making excuses and just plain not wearing a mask is a huge problem here, especially in other parts of my state. People just simply don’t seem to care about wearing a mask. I’ve even seen many Teachers at my school not wearing masks and they are the ones that I should be looking up to. I do hope this vaccine is going to start the end of it all but I’m sure we’ve still got a ways to go.

Really sorry to hear about all that Steve, I hope everything starts to brighten up on your end of things. My grandparents live outside of Lincoln and are in tier 3 lockdown the last I heard from them and my Aunt in Brighton had it and since recovered somehow not passing it to any of my cousins or my uncle. I do hope it starts settling down soon.

Cheers,
Bodhi

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Hang tough Steve!! ...... and yes, 68yr olds on scooters DON'T mix!

Merry Christmas,
Dan

It might have been better if the scooter had off road tyres! The problem with getting older is that you never see yourself as older... you think you can do all the things you used to do!

Merry Christmas to you too Dan.

Cheers,
Steve

[Composite]

Its been interesting to follow News coverage of other countries....which of course is only what the broadcasters decide to tell us. There was a time when Sweden was being held up as THE country handling it correctly but then a few months later it was reported that perhaps they weren’t. The coverage of US seemed to be dominated by I-don’t-have-to-mask-up folk and yet we know that isn’t everyone. It’d be interesting to hear how the UK is being portrayed overseas......the biggest problem for the most vocal seems to be the inability to go to the pub....reinforcing the age-old Brit stereotype sadly...... where as most sensible people know that they can buy scotch at a fraction of pub prices and drink safely at home ;-)

[AZPhil]

"He said:'I know I'm not supposed to swear, but bloody hell granddad, what did you do that for?"

I am truly sorry, But that had me laughing. In my head I kept thinking of you "Pulling Your Moves" on a scooter.

I hope you heal well SDS(Scooter Dude Steve)

Semper Fi
Phil

[reneblacky]

South Africa's lock downs banned the sale of booze and cigarettes outright! Nice for the politicians black market sales!

[HARRY THE MOLE]

"He said:'I know I'm not supposed to swear, but bloody hell granddad, what did you do that for?"

I am truly sorry, But that had me laughing. In my head I kept thinking of you "Pulling Your Moves" on a scooter.

I hope you heal well SDS(Scooter Dude Steve)

Semper Fi
Phil

Sadly Phil, I never learn by my mistakes. I would probably do the same again if the scooter was there. You are only on this earth once, so while you are here you may as well enjoy it. You will never get another chance!

Cheers,
Steve

[Rescue190]

The main issue is masks give people a false sense of security and reality bites since they do very little to protect anyone. The RONA is way more contagious than people give it credit for. I had it back a couple of months ago. We still do all the masking and other morbid stuff to make everyone else feel better.

I have my biological radar detector at the front door and anyone entering must have a shot of their preferred alcoholic beverage before entry is allowed. Makes it more fun that way.
John

I was able to get my daughter got married off to her new husband a week or so ago under all of the BS. They are now on the honeymoon in marital bliss. Back tomorrow.

Please note: this is not intended to start a mask debate and I will not reply to any pro or con mask answers. I have been in the pre-hospital medical field for too long.