Morning, Brian, morning all
I'm going to try to inject (not a vaccine but) a little feel good in amidst the doom and gloom, and you can read more about that at my new Thread here
https://linux.org/threads/a-meeting-of-like-minds.35082/
Monday 16th March 2020, our Prime Minister had to place a ban on hugging Australia-wide, as COVID ramped up. Also the social distancing rules were deployed at the same time.
An hour after we had heard the news, Elaine and I had to attend a happy/sad occasion, a Memorial Service for the wife of a friend who had passed away after a long battle with cancer.
The service was attended by perhaps over a hundred people, including a number of her family from interstate. We gave widower Laurie and his daughter a hug, knowing it might be our last chance for a long time. And as best we could, in confined spaces, we observed the 1.5 metre (five foot) distancing rule.
That was my last hug with anyone other than Elaine, for 15 months, who could have predicted THAT?
While I share some of the symptoms and conditions as portrayed so well by actor Freddie Highmore as Dr Shaun Murphy in "The Good Doctor", I do not have the problem with personal contact and displays of affection. Probably more like Down Syndrome, really - I am a "huggie" person.
So yesterday, on getting the opportunity to finally meet, in person, my cyber friend of nearly seven years, Brian, as we stepped forward, I said to him "A handshake won't do it, Mate, it's gotta be a hug".
And we did, and it felt SO good.
Was I acting rashly? I don't believe so.
Brian and Te come from Glen Innes, NSW (2016 figures population 6,155) and Elaine and I from Stanthorpe NSW (2016 population figures 5,406) - comparable sizes.
No cases of COVID have been recorded in either centre, since the beginning. Neither, rural, centre is near any metropolitan hotspots.
Elaine and I and Brian have all had our first jab (AstraZeneca), and Te will be having hers as soon as available to her younger age category.
Elaine and I have masks in our car which go wherever we go, and if we need to use them, we do so without hesitation.
Brian's article above, from our broadcaster ABC, reminds me of some figures I was calculating for Brian and Stan, based on Australia's experience. We have had a 3-way conversation going for nearly 3 and a half years, I call it The Neverending Story.
I was able to observe that here, you were
600 times more likely to die of COVID than you were to die of a blood clotting disorder.
If we all got jabbed, we could all have a hug.
I like hugs, did I say that?
Spread the love, NOT COVID.
Stay safe
Chris.