Our one month isolation milestone

Today, 4th April 2020, marks exactly 1 month since we began our own self-isolation. Roll back to 4th March 2020 and the world, and the UK in particular, was a very different place both in terms of "fact" and "feeling".

At the time the numbers were as follows in the UK (5th March 2020):

115 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK
1 death in the UK from COVID-19

We sat down with our family that evening and discussed our situation. Having watched the figures from around the world and listening to what the WHO were pleading for the world to do, we decided given that 2 of our 3 children were falling into the high risk category that we would start to self-isolate.

Miss T had been off school that day having felt a little under the weather and knowing how hard it is for her to recover from even a basic cold had made us want to err on the side of caution.

Initially we had thought it would be about keeping Miss T off school but the more we thought about it, the more we realised that unless we ALL isolated, there would be little point if the other 2 children were at different schools with around 1,000 children as well as staff etc in each of their schools, the workplace that Richard was based at during that time and the training course that I was on. We knew we would all have to be on board.

Both J and D were surprisingly understanding. We feared the impact on J's GCSE's at the time (remember this was several weeks before schools closed). We feared the reaction of all 3 schools given the pressure that schools are under in terms of attendance figures.

D began his isolation that next day, J was concerned about not having all his revision books with him at home so did 1 extra day at school to collect his school work.

We made contact with friends and family to explain our decision. We knew some people just wouldn't get it because at the time the general "feeling" out there was anyone that was concerned over this was "overreacting" or "scaremongering" but somehow our gut feeling was what we knew we had to go with. We figured that "those who matter won't mind and those who mind, don't matter".

Our close friends and family, knowing Miss T's situation were remarkably supportive. Even all 3 schools were understanding and supportive of our decision.

We had offers of help for shopping from friends but between online grocery orders and the milk delivery service we were ok (although the milk delivery service went totally pear shaped soon after as demand increased beyond their ability to cope - so we've managed without them since getting no-show deliveries time after time).

Initially as much of the world carried on as normal (and seemed to be encouraged to carry on as normal with increased hand washing being seen as the UK's choice of controlling things), we continued to heed advice from the WHO. And we continued to monitor the numbers as they grew. Initially the numbers didn't seem too alarming with that 115 cases increasing to 163 cases the next day, but then it was 206 and then 273. The pattern WAS alarming - the numbers were doubling every few days. And the pattern followed regarding the number of deaths too.

Still schools remained open. How? Why? Couldn't anyone else see what was happening? On the world stage they could. Other countries had been there and regretted not taking action sooner. The WHO pleaded again for the world to take this seriously explaining that this is no dress rehearsal. It wasn't until 20th March that schools closed. And the 23rd March when the official "stay at home" isolation message from the Prime Minister came out. 

So here we are, 1 month later on the 4th April and those 115 cases in the UK are now 41,903.
That death toll of 1 person is now 4,313.

Thankfully the "feel" out there is now very much "Stay at home" but a month earlier we were definitely the odd ones out in choosing to do so.

None of us are safe yet. None of us are out the woods. We all need to do the right thing now. I say this seeing out of my window that people are STILL shaking hands (!!!) and we've even spotted people visiting each other socially.

We owe it to those who are having to work to look after us to do this thing we all need to do. 

The intention of this post was not this. I was going to write all the positives of what we had been up to and to document some of these unique circumstances that we all find ourselves in today. But I guess I needed a rant so the update on what we've been doing will have to wait.