Chinese 'flu a Year on from First UK Lockdown

The 'flu that struck the world  in C20, towards the end of World War I, is called "Spanish 'flu" although some say that that pandemic originated in the USA. Accordingly although there is little doubt but that the current  pandemic originated in China, there is for some reason, an insistence that the C21 pandemic be called  "Covid-19" rather than any suggestion that a Chinese wet food market was the origin. Variants are described as "Brazilian", "South African" "Kent" or more recently "UK" 'flu, hence the "Chinese" in this blog post title.

Interestingly my autobiography "The Wandering Soul" was published in March 2020; see

The Wandering Soul

The word "interestingly" applies because that book describes much that was normal in people's lives prior to  March last year. There are descriptions of school life in the  '50s and '60s and adventures some dangerous that young people often became involved in prior to university and/or full time work or sadly unemployment. Tennis, football and other sport stadia could be packed as were the Olympic Games venues in 2012; see for example

Olympic Games 2012

Travel by rail boat and 'plane was if not routine usually relatively easy though not inexpensive, to arrange whether locally or internationally. Yet since March 2020 life for all has altered enormously. Weddings (and funerals) were before March 2020, relatively  easy to arrange and could be attended by as many or as few guests as could be afforded. Education whether at school, or higher education was prior to March 2020, really a question of work perhaps hard work generally without concerns about illness. The 2020 Olympics due to take place in Tokyo have been postponed to later this year and there is considerable doubt about whether they can still be held at all.

Retirement  for me  last year  so far at least has proved to be a blessing in disguise.  Those not yet retired who work or in many cases used to work, from London offices, now have to work from home maybe on kitchen tables and only see colleagues on Zoom or similar yet especially for younger  workers, actually meeting with colleagues is as important for their careers and social developments as ever.

The vaccination programme in the UK at least, is proving very successful so may yet begin to ameliorate some of the dreadful China 'flu restrictions  that still apply. My own jab  largely organised by the army, was at St Thomas's NHS hospital where I note Boris Johnson attended for his yesterday.

Yet elsewhere, for example in Brazil, hospital emergency rooms with 02 availability, are full with many China 'flu patients lying in beds outside the ERs, with the possibility of accessing the wards and vital 02, only if  existing patients there die before those waiting do; may they R.I.P. 

Tragic and dreadful, yet what can and should, first world countries be doing about situations as in Brazil?  

The provision of the cheap Oxford/Astravenica vaccine developed with UK government assistance should assist many, but the queries about that vaccine  not least by many European countries is helping no one. It was almost amusing to learn that the French Ambassador to the UK, manged to secure her  OA vaccination here this week, whilst the French government was still banning its use in France.

The last twelve months locally though have proved quieter with less road traffic and much more walking and cycling. There seem to be many more unusual birds around not only on Wimbledon Common but also in back gardens which has made the buying  of a bird book a wise move.

Not seeing  grandchildren  other than by Zoom has proved difficult and with maytrees max living in Jersey and maytrees mi in New Zealand, Christmas 2020 was rather quieter than usual yet despite the pandemic Christmas day mass was still possible.

Meetings outside are being allowed in England again so seeing maytrees ma and a grandchild should be possible soon.

A niece of mrs maytrees is due to be married in Ireland later this  year and I wonder if attendance from the UK will be permitted?

Overall though for those fortunate enough to be retired, the pandemic  lockdowns have not been as hard to bear as they will have been for so many who are or need to be, at work.