Unpopular Opinion | COVID-19 in The UK

Many people have promoted their views across social media, day-in-day-out I’m met with similar variations of the same post ‘’Please don’t panic buy’’ and ‘’I have X syndrome, I’m at risk ‘’I’’ cannot get X, Y or Z’’ and that’s fine, people will panic especially if they worry that they are missing out. Most of the conditions I see portrayed across social media as ‘’I have X syndrome’’ aren’t ones that would initially rise to be more at risk, not if health precautions are taken, but this is the same for the cold, flu, chest infections or basically any ailment where your body is under stress and you feel unwell.

I say this as someone who literally has an at-risk condition. Personally, I have given away sanitiser, wipes, and hand wash to those who are more at risk than I am. Sharing is caring folks.

However, while a huge majority are worrying about the issues that are at the end of the nose, we really need to discuss the true issue here and that’s not what shit we cannot buy at the supermarkets. It’s the lack of shit that our own Government is placing on the issue.

We can panic all we want and divide all we want but the reality is, it’s doing no-one any good. We need to band together to promote the views of the people of the UK because let’s face it, our Government does not give a damn, so let’s make them give a damn! We voted them in, so let’s be the voice of reason. After all the Government isn’t going to care for us, we can only do that ourselves.

Let’s take a look into the true picture of COVID-19 as a UK national.

Most other countries have shown some caring attributes to its people. Closing work places for one to two weeks regardless of if you are symptomatic. Yes some think this defeats the purpose as it doesn’t resolve those who are symptomatic say from week three onwards, however, what it does do is reduce the demand curve on their medical establishments.

Many countries have closed their borders, ports or airfields to reduce the flow into their countries. This again maintains the current risk for the country rather than perpetrating spread.

Many have placed clear guidelines on employees and have sent employees home if they have a sniffle. Most countries are not leaving it up to their staff to decide if they are too ill. This ensures that there is no guilt in managing your symptoms at home while also reducing the possible spread. This reduces the curve also for companies resulting in fewer absentees in one go.

Many have placed border controls around high-traffic and high-positive countries. Take Manila, for example, they’ve literally declared a state of calamity and have placed borders around Manila, reducing the flow of those affected into what can be described as a high-traffic municipality.

Many countries have placed clear guidelines around those who require COVID-19 swab testing and many are getting the results back in around four days.

Many countries have controlled the flow of supplies within their food establishments and can still access the necessary medications, sanitation and supplies if they can venture out.

So what truly are the UK Government doing for us? As a progressive country, I can hand on heart say that we are not acting in a progressive manner whatsoever.

As a Scottish citizen, we are being told to ‘use sanitiser and clean our hands effectively’’ how? By singing ‘’Happy Birthday’’ not once, but twice. We are told not to shake hands, but yet some are like ‘’ meh’’ it’s carry on as normal.

Many are being told to stay at work ‘’unless’’ they have a cough, a fever and it lasts over seven days. Let’s be real here, many of those who have tested positive actually didn’t have a fever. Many had a mild cough, take for example those on the Princess Cruise, who ended up with a cough but thought it was down to the air and being cabin bound. They didn’t feel unwell, they didn’t have a fever and many times when testing their fever was within the absolute healthy-normal. What this does do is force people who feel unwell, even if slightly, to stay in work because they’re not ‘’ dying’’ and increase the spread to those who may be at risk.

Many workplaces have not shut down. Again no-one wants to lose money in the UK. Companies or employees.

Many workplaces haven’t given clear guidelines, many have reiterated what the Government has said about symptoms but yet when employees are showing symptoms they’re still expected to stay at work. Likewise many directors or business owners will push out these emails to their employees stating if you have a symptom you ‘’ must’’ stay home, yet they come in the following day or week with clear symptoms and stay at work, continuing to have meetings in a one-to-one capacity with their employees.

Many people are still flying into and outwards from and to the UK. Again increasing the spread and risk.

No borders have been closed.

Many of the national newspapers are placing stories saying things like ‘’Over 70’s to stay isolated for four months to decrease the risk of exposure’ yet the Scottish Government will the next day state ‘’Oh that story about the 70-year-olds, yeah, we’re not isolating them at all’.

There’s continual talk of shutting schools and businesses. Many within the UK are given hope that heck, maybe our Government cares. Then the same promises are given out via national newspapers a week or two down the line. False promises are pretty common these days with our Government.

Now I get it, we can all get over the cold or the flu. We can regardless of how scary it is. But, here’s the issue… We can all suffer from an ailment but know that a week or so down the line we’ll feel better. We know that when we are off our work is covered from our team and heck, if we feel like we’re on death's door our family or loved ones can nip to the supermarket and stock up on antibacterial sprays to stop the spread to our kids in the household and stock up on painkillers and such. Worst case if nothing improves we have our local GP’s, pharmacists and hospital.

Not with the COVID-19. Everyone is suffering, everyone is getting guilt pushed onto them which may result in a carry on as normal mentality, thus worsening the spread. Many no longer have the bumper of being able to manage their pain or suffering at home as everything is out of stock. You want groceries? Well tough because none of the supermarkets can deliver anything to your home in less than one week, this will worsen. And, if you’re really suffering you cannot get appointments and the guidelines tell you to not visit the hospital.

You’re being left alone to suffer at home, if you have children then tough, you still need to carry on, which if you’ve had flu will know it’s tough. Your body just does not want to function. Especially if you do not have painkillers. So what happens in those instances, for those who do not have family local to them or anyone they can rely on? Will the children suffer? Will it lead to worsened symptoms for those who are pushing themselves too hard?

And then let’s discuss the actual figures of the UK COVID-19. Yes, those figures are increasing but note over the last few days they’ve not increased as much as we initially thought. Well if you have symptoms – but not all of the symptoms (let’s remind ourselves that most do not actually have all of the symptoms to test positive) the UK is ‘’not’’ testing people. You are told to isolate. So those people who are self-isolating and actually have it, are not included in the official figures. So like many of those who are positive, after two weeks of isolation, they may still have it. I believe those on the Princess Cruise ships are now into week three and four of being positive but not feeling ‘’too bad’’. In this sort of situation, those who come out of self-isolation on week two can still spread it as a positive patient in week three and four onwards, yet no-one will know because the UK Government aren’t testing.

There we are, folks. The UK – progressive and financially strong are once again the laughing stocks of the world. Between this and Brexit our Government can only be described as ridiculous.

Let’s hope public opinion pushes them into change and following what the rest of the world is doing. What are your thoughts on the whole mess? If you are suffering anxiety during this time, I recommend The Spoonie Mummy as she has awesome tips for handling anxiety.