Our lockdown has been extended

[isthismylifenow]

I am in South Africa. We are going nowhere until the beginning of May. Not for a run, to walk the dog. No sale of cigarettes or alcohol or anything non essential, ie a toaster or a pair of slippers.

But our infection rate is increasing by only 4%.

It has to be working. Surely.

[LizzieSiddal]

Gosh that’s dreadful. Are you allowed to go out for food?

[isthismylifenow]

We can go out for food supplies or to the. bank or for medical reasons only. Or if you are an essential worker. There are random roadblocks and if stopped you have to prove the reason for being out

I have a lot of single friends. During these 14 days I have kept in touch and already I can pick up a few are not coping all that well. Many have lost jobs and like me are self employed. It's tough but measures are being put in place for assistance.

The governement had no choice but to call for tough measures. There are so many under priveliged citizens. They have to be protected.

[PeacockPies]

That sounds awful. I'm so grateful we can go for a walk every day.

[Madein1995]

That is dreadful. How on earth are dogs meant to cope if the owners don't have a decent garden? I thought our government was bad...

[RainbowCookie]

I’m in South Africa too, it’s really bad, on my work whatsapp group people are offering to trade cigarettes and booze and meeting up in supermarket car parks.
My kids have not left the house for nearly 3 weeks now and now another 3 weeks this is really rough.
I was hoping the lockdown would get eased a little bit so we could go for a walk and maybe takeaways and small shops could open.

[itssllforyou]

Wow this sounds awful. And we have people here crying for harder lockdowns.

[RainbowCookie]

Yep I have to be honest when my friends in the UK say they are on lockdown, I usually remind them they’ve just been out for a walk, have probably got a couple of bottles in wine in the fridge and if they lose their job they’re covered for 80% of their salary.
Not a chance of any of that happening here. I just hope it works.

[isthismylifenow]

Rsinbow, yes the trade talks for a bottle of wine and cigarettes is just something else.

The dogs also just have to adapt. They can't go for walks and so they need stimulating in other ways. We have been getting quite creative. We have a garden fortunately, but there are many who don't.
My children have also not been out for over a month now, one is high risk so we had to put all measures in place early on.

Let's hope the 4% increase stays this way and no more and everyone cooperates so that we can get back to some sort of normality. We are in the minority for infections comparing to the rest of the world so maybe these strict measures are working. As at today 1934 positive cases and 18 deaths. Which is 18 too many.

[iheartislesofwight]

made what would you do if you were in charge ? just interested.

[Madein1995]

Much like other countries are doing,or trying to do. Really pouring money into testing, especially for NHS staff. Same for PPE. Encouraging police to fine people found to be mixing in groups, sunbathing etc. Not ignoring (sorry, 'missing') offers to help by the EU.

It's not Joe blogs walking his dog who's at fault for the spread of the virus. It's the government not closing the borders early enough, or at least either testing all incoming people or having them isolate before allowing them to progress (eg, requisition a hotel or public building near major airports and have people stop there for a week to see if they develop CV symptoms). It's chronic underfunding of the NHS, not providing enough PPE and not providing enough testing. There is testing out there - a private health care provider near me is offering tests at 250 a pop. It's a delay in reactions, funding and having enough equipment.

What really annoys me is how they blame everyone exercising for the spread. It's not their fault. It isn't really the fault of - - idiot - - sunbathers. It's the governments delayed reaction despite witnessing what happened in Italy and in Spain.

Besides which exercise is important for both physical and mental health. On a purely practical and slightly cynical matter, shouldn't we be encouraged to be as fit and as healthy as possible so that if we do catch the virus, that we have a chance (however small that is?)

I'm not advocating we go back right away to normal not at all. I'm fully prepared for June. Buy I think that banning exercise will affect physical and mental health. If I can't go out, my head will do a number on me and I might end up relapsing. If I can't exercise, I get stuck in a rut and depressed. If I can't exercise by bard ankle (am awaiting foot /ankle physio) it will become even more painful. Which will encourage me to use strong painkillers and relapse because 'I'm in pain.'

I think exercise is so so important. I also think lockdown can't go on for 18 months. I'm also one of the growing number of people who are discontent and quite angry actually at the government in all this. So many lives lost. One such life was a probation officer who recently gave birth. Who was fine, fit and healthy yet contracted it in hospital. In a hospital where staff have reported lack of PPE and have told stories of new stickers being put on expired equipment. No doubt in my mind that had the government acted swiftly some of those deaths may have been avoided.

Bert not walking his dog and me not walking in a deserted huge field where you can easily avoid people, won't make a massive differencd to the spread of CV. The actions of the government particularly surrounding PPE, will.

[Madein1995]

I am so sorry of course for all you are going through. My response was aimed at the UK side of things particularly as there's talk of stricter lockdown now

[Kingcole]

What really annoys me is how they blame everyone exercising for the spread. It's not their fault. It isn't really the fault of - - idiot - - sunbathers. It's the governments delayed reaction despite witnessing what happened in Italy and in Spain.

Couldn't agree more. We could have made this easy for ourselves by shutting borders immediately and using testing, contact tracing and quarantine measures. The Government are now twisting it and making it all about us and clap for heroes etc. How thick do they think we all are?

[CoolCarrie]

I am here too, and it’s been hellish not to be able to walk our three dogs, so tbh we are sneaking out at midnight to walk them around the block, don’t see or hear another soul.

[CoolCarrie]

My ds is getting very down with the situation as he has met his first girlfriend and can’t see her, he misses his friends desperately and he is worried about school and exams, my heart breaks for him, but what can we do except make sure he speaks to them online and by phone.

[CoolCarrie]

My duh is a doctor at one of the big hospitals here and says the data is probably faulty re number of deaths, but he is optimistic and has spent most of his time discharging patients to free up beds and hoping they wouldn’t need them.

[CoolCarrie]

I totally agree with you Madein1995