Only 41

The government here is celebrating. Only 41 deaths from coronavirus notified in a 24-hour period. That confirms their intention to reopen the hospitality sector, and reduce the supposedly ‘safe distance’ from 2 metres to 1 very soon.

Only 41! Hurrah!

Think about that 41. Those people had husbands, wives, children. Relatives including aunts, uncles, and cousins. They had work colleagues, as well as lifelong friends. For every one of those 41, you can add at least 100 people who will be affected by their death, for the rest of their lives.

So to my mind, that should read 4,100, not 41.

And if you see it the same way as I do, you will surely agree.

41 is still too many.

26 comments

  1. Elizabeth

    I think the disregard for human life has been the most troubling part of this pandemic. In Florida the governor has dismissed the problem as “only” affecting–in this order as days passed–the elderly, farmworkers, Hispanics, prisoners and people in their 20’s. He is 41and white, so I guess he still counts.

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Eddy Winko

    I have to see it from a different perspective if only because I’m in a different place. Just over a 1500 deaths in the country and less than 40 in our district \ county, its very hard to appreciate what it must be like in other harder hit regions or countries. I’m probably more aware than most as I listen to the UK news, whereas the national broadcaster here is a propaganda machine telling people to carry on as normal. They don’t even expect a recession! As I mentioned on your other page we went out the other day and it would be easy to believe that there is a pandemic.
    Gosias sister is working in one of the Covid designated hospitals in our area, so we have an early warning system if the numbers start to go up and also the number one person to avoid should there be a spike in cases.
    Hearing that things will be relaxed soon in the UK and then reading of spikes in Germany I think we have a long way to go and sadly much more suffering to come.

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  4. lssattitudeofgratitude

    As our governor just put the mandatory mask order back in effect, there seems to still be stupid people who don’t care about others. I’ll stay home, stay masked on the rare occasions I must get supplies, and distance myself from everyone, even my grandkids. I only have this one life, and I don’t want to go out with the virus.

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. Heyjude

    My over 70 year old neighbour has been having a stream of visitors this last week. No single bubble for her and although they have been outdoors (which is why I know about them as they are not exactly quiet) they have definitely been closer than 2m. I can see supermarket shopping returning to the old normal before long too. I am off to visit my daughter this weekend – time to take my chances and she needs some maternal support as her partner left in April due to being unable to cope with working at home with the family! What a prize prick he turned out to be. I’ll drive down and she has promised to scrub the house thoroughly and we’ll stay away from anyone else, but given that there will be hordes of tourists arriving in a fortnight I can see the OH and I being in a self-imposed lockdown until September!

    Liked by 2 people

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    • beetleypete

      Sorry to hear about your daughter, Jude. You are right about him of course. Shameful, leaving his family at such a stressful time! Anytime is bad enough for a break-up, but this situation must double the stress.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  7. Maggie

    I would dare to say that most of the people so willing to reopen either feel strong enough to survive or else have not known anyone who has suffered at the hands of the virus. I don’t have the answers, because as you know I have family who have lost both incomes and that is not easy. But killing off more people for the greater economic good is not a risk any of us should take.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • beetleypete

      Not knowing someone who has been infected or died does seem to be the benchmark. Those people are at the stage of being ready to believe it doesn’t actually exist, simply because none of their relatives or friends have died of it.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 3 people

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  8. fragglerocking

    It’s a rock and a hard place, the people who work in the hospitality sector are many and low paid, the govt help for them is running out if it hasn’t already. There is going to be a huge surge in unemployed people if these places go tits up and thats 1000’s of lives and their kids lives dependent on universal credits and food banks. I agree reducing the safe distancing measure to 1 meter is not the best, but to be honest 2 meters isn’t that much better when we know those droplets with the virus in them actually travel 8 meters in a cough or sneeze. I think sensible people will do what’s right for them, for me it’s to wear a mask and keep as far away as possible from other people. I won’t be shopping, or drinking in pubs & cafes, it’s bad enough being back at work where I can at least manage the risks in a controlled environment, the govt can say what it wants. In any case a lot of people are not social distancing in the slightest, nor wearing masks or keeping to themselves and thats with the 2 meter rule still in place!

    Liked by 4 people

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    • beetleypete

      I know. In Tesco today, most shoppers were happily ignoring the one-way system put in place by the store, and the ‘extra helpers’ hired to check on them have all disappeared. It’s become a free for all, with the vulnerable and old (me) likely to pay the price. Still, as long as Wetherspoons opens, and they can all piss it up while watching football, 41 extra deaths a day has to be worth that.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 3 people

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  9. toritto

    Hi Pete. We went over 100,000 confirmed cases in Florida with 3,173 deaths as of Saturday. We are full speed ahead for reopening!. I was going to see my daughter on the east coast of the sunshine state over Independence Day weekend but she doesn’t want the old man on a plane, even for a short flight. She is coming here next month by car. Best from Florida

    Liked by 3 people

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  10. Doug

    One reason you were so effective as an EMT.. your compassion on all levels. One reason there’s a fair number of Right wingers here in the Colonies who align with the “herd” theory…. just Darwinism at work. Let ’em die and things will level out… then we can go get haircuts, do our fingernails, and have our lattes.

    Liked by 4 people

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      • Doug

        Honestly, Pete… I’ve turned into more a sideline blog reader than getting into the fray of opinionating again simply because there’s not a lot more to say.. and I am just waiting for our orange man to burn himself up for the election and holding my breath along the way. Over here it’s going to get a lot worse… and even if the Schmuck-in-chief loses, he is going to set up legal barricades and burning tires in the streets to keep from leaving… and God knows what his nutjob Conservative base is going to do. I wouldn’t be surprised if a bunch of those Second Amendment-ers position themselves outside the White House to prevent Trump from being hauled off. But we have a lot of opportunity for crap to happen by him until then.
        You guys have the “blonde man” to worry about. Who’da thunk we’d live to see all this, Pete.
        Hey.. speaking of the Second Amendment.. I purchased a new shotgun the other day online. It had to get shipped to a local gun store with a proper license.. and I go there to fill out the paperwork to check if I have a record.. then wait ten days before they let me take it. Ahh.. the American way! I don’t need any ammo.. I just will have it for the sound effect when cocking it. 🙂

        Liked by 5 people

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