Not So Isolated

My niece took a letter home that a confirmed case of COVID-19 had been found in her school. As a result the person(s) that tested positive has been asked to stay home for 14 days to quarantine. The people that came in contact with said person(s) have also been asked to stay home. The school, however, has stayed open. My niece is also expected to keep attending.

We are currently in "lockdown" for a month in England. I put the lockdown in quotes because virtually nobody is doing it. It's a lockdown of small businesses only, in essence. In fact, I see more people out and about now since they're not at work. The hundreds of men that usually sit (apparently all day) in cafés in my neighbourhood are also now just standing around the street corners in groups of 20-30! I have to admit, the visuals are not encouraging.

Back to the school. What would have happened before during the first COVID-19 wave would have been a total closure of the school, with everybody required to quarantine. Not only is the school now staying open, they are "reminding" parents and guardians that "most people will only experience a very mild illness" if they do contract COVID-19.

There's definitely been a change of attitude towards this pandemic from both the citizens and the authorities. It's good in a way I guess. We do have more information now, and a mature society should be able to change/evolve with new information.

I just wish I'd made it out to somewhere like Gambia or Tanzania for the winter :)

Peace & Love,

Adé