Like Hansel & Gretel, it’s very easy to follow the crumbs ... like the witch, most of them scatter their clues because they want to be found. If you have that sort of a memory it takes no effort at all.
😉
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I totally get this thread about going abroad ect, we're due to go on honeymoon in October after our wedding but the hotel wouldn't cancel as apparently there's no threat in Italy now, so it is either go as planned or lose thousands ( this was booked last year when there was no threat) had to seriously reduce the numbers for the wedding too, the covid situation is a real nightmare - not something I thought I would ever see in my lifetime.
This makes interesting reading. For 7 consecutive weeks the death rate has been below the 5 year average (England) and that includes deaths from Covid-19. There was obviously that peak from March to May but I sometimes wonder what we are really so scared of.
The death rate will be lower for a while and that could include during this winter's flu season. It happens when the most vulnerable people get killed off in a short amount of time. It's very marginal at the moment though and helped by people still working from home and going out less. Don't forget the people with long term health issues triggered by the virus though. So far the lack of a second wave is encouraging though given how many people have given up on worrying about preventing transmission.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
So...my mum's experience of trying to get a Covid test (she's got a cough, thinks it's due to a recent cold, but wants to make sure)...
She tried to phone 119, was told that despite there being a testing site in their town (in Mid Sussex), the systems were down and the nearest available slot was at a site over 100 miles away, to which she just sighed and ordered a home test instead. I tried having a look myself online, at 5pm there were 50 slots at a site about 10 miles from her, at 6pm when she tried to book one, these had all gone and they were offered ones in Richmond (60 miles away). I then tried again at various times throughout the evening, and got locations varying from Bexhill to Guildford (all at least 30-40 miles away). The slots were disappearing at a rate faster than Glastonbury tickets...
I find it incredibly hard to believe that there were that many people all online at the same time, all booking the slots so rapidly. Especially given infection rates are so low (at the moment) in the South East.
It was incredibly stressful, and bearing in mind that we're lucky enough to have the ability to book online, to have the time to keep trying over and over, and she has the ability to be driven to get to a site, the system just felt like an absolute shambles!!! World-beating, eh??? Ha. If she actually had coronavirus, she needs to know ASAP. There MUST be a better system.
She's sticking with the home test, cos there were no other feasible options in the end. I'm really hoping it's just a cough resulting from a cold.
A few weeks ago OH lost his sense of taste and smell so went on line to arrange a test. He booked one at Stansted airport where there were thousands available. The result (negative) came by text at 6am the following day. Which was what he expected as he'd already had it a couple of months before!
I had a Covid test last Thursday as I had a temperature, aches and tiredness. It was very easy to book a test online for the same day. Results were emailed and texted to me just after 5pm the next day. Thankfully negative and could go ahead with our holiday on Monday.
Spent a few days by the sea which was lovely. We did feel safe as most people did keep their distance and a lot of shops ask you to use the hand sanitiser before entering. We were also going to stop in Sheringham yesterday but we saw what looked like a sea of people so didn’t stop.
I think once cough and cold season starts again (usually once schools start back) then the ‘system’ will be overwhelmed with test requests. If tests aren’t done and reported swiftly then there will be big knock-on effects for workforces and services.
My earlier post was obviously tempting fate! 20 month old granddaughter woke from her nap with a temperature of 38.8 so tried to find a place to take her for a test. Nearest was 90 minutes drive away. Now one very miserable toddler and weekend plans all on hold! Given how often little kids get high temps this could be a recurring situation.
I hope your little granddaughter recovers just as quickly, @Singing Gardener, but, as you say, little kids do spring high temperatures quite often, usually it's nothing much.
Apart from masks I think the French seem to feel they are almost back to normal. Distancing is hardly practiced now where I am, Dordogne, and a man in Lidl had to be asked by staff to put his mask over his nose. A lot of them wear masks under their noses. 7379 new cases today, 6111 yesterday. But the chap who handed back my car at the garage did squirt disinfectant into it and wipe the steering wheel, left a paper saying "car disinfected" on the dashboard.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Apart from masks I think the French seem to feel they are almost back to normal. Distancing is hardly practiced now where I am, Dordogne, and a man in Lidl had to be asked by staff to put his mask over his nose. A lot of them wear masks under their noses. 7379 new cases today, 6111 yesterday. But the chap who handed back my car at the garage did squirt disinfectant into it and wipe the steering wheel, left a paper saying "car disinfected" on the dashboard.