So, with this Corona Virus scare, we as a family have been self-isolating for the past week voluntarily (starting on the 17th of March 2020). Firstly to do our part with regard to social distancing and to protect ourselves from developing Covid-19. Both my children have asthma to some degree and I have a range of issues that put me at greater risk of struggling excessively were I to contract this virus.
Luckily both my children have been home educated for the last six years, and regularly speak to most of their friends online. It has meant that our isolation has had a minimum impact on their well-being so far.
Unfortunately as per government advice yesterday, people with underlying health conditions are to isolate more intensely than other people and for longer. Because of my asthma (which was very bad [chronic/brittle] when I was young and has the potential to be again), and the fact I take anti-coagulation tablets and immune-suppressant injections regularly, I am going to have to ‘shield’ myself from contact with anyone but my children for about 12 weeks from now.
We have had a lot of offers of help and support, which is really great. I also have district nurses who attend semi-regularly and we are lucky to be able to have quite a few hobbies/work tasks with which we can occupy ourselves.
Looking at how huge swathes of the country are handling the requested distancing, we are probably best where we are. Many people have travelled to Wales and to this island for a holiday style self-isolation, which is now putting huge pressure on local GP’s as people try to temporarily register, has the potential to overwhelm the hospitals and may fundamentally worsen the spread of this outbreak. We’d likely be avoiding outside for an extended period of time right now anyway.
My business is suffering and will continue to, but there’s not much I can do about that right now. I just have to make sure we’re all safe and that we don’t put anyone else at risk. So far we have read more, done a spring clean and I’ve started on some of the projects I’ve had saved up for a while as well as doing as much work as I can manage.
More to come I would imagine.
Emma.
EDIT: As I pressed publish, the government has tightened the rules on people leaving their homes and minimised this to essential needs. Essentially lock-down.