Coronavirus diary, Friday 26 June

Where I came in ... my first blogpost

After one hundred of my blog posts, it's time for a brief look back over a momentous, historic three months, to those first grim days when Britain and many countries shut down.

No one knew what lay ahead. The outbreak of the pandemic caused by an unknown virus had started in China two months earlier with dramatic and devastating effect. To counter the threat, huge cities were sealed off. 

The danger was apparent, but the rest of the world seemed reluctant to act.

This changed when the outbreak became a pandemic. 
Italy was one of the first countries to experience its deadly force, with thousands of cases and a frightening number of deaths, especially among old people. China responded by shutting down whole, huge cities.

China's drastic action was followed by other countries, but Britain was slow to respond.

It was not until mid March that the prime minister announced lockdown, sending everyone home, to stay. Everything shut down. Britain became a ghost country. 

Since then there has been a combination of anxiety, foreboding and, above all, uncertainty.

Education, Personal Protective Equipment, care homes, test and trace and other issues have been endlessly discussed. 

The press has been in rampaging, campaigning mood, 
The government has tried to keep us informed with daily briefings and slogans and there have been dire warnings of mass deaths. 

Pitch perfect: Dragon's Heart Hospital, Principality Stadium

The death toll did rise alarmingly, threatening to overwhelm the NHS. To meet the threat, temporary hospitals were created around the country. In London a huge conference centre was taken over and the Principality stadium in Cardiff was transformed into an emergency coronavirus hospital.

The virus struck at the heart of the government with the prime minister  and several ministers affected.The prime minister was seriously ill, spending time  in hospital where he could have died. Although he has been back in control for months he still seems to be under par. 

The focus has now been on how to get out of the lockdown without triggering a second phase, England is being bold in getting people back to work and trying to revive the economy, July 4th is 'freedom' day with the country open for business and pleasure but the devolved countries have been cautious.
The lockdown in Wales is still on, with only minor concessions but life here will also change soon with us working and playing again. 

We  hope it is the right decision at the right time, but there are uncertain times ahead.