On Becoming a Hermit, Sort of ... Days 15-20

Days 15-20
(Tuesday, 31st March to Sunday 5th April 2020)

A third week of social distancing and much has changed, not so much in here at home for the two of us, but out there. Since we commenced this period of social distancing and voluntary self-isolation nearly three weeks ago, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK has gone up from around 1,000 to just over 38,000 as of 4th April at 10am. This number us is currently doubling every 6 days. In the meantime the number of confirmed cases in the World has now topped 1 million, which is doubling every 8 days. There is a significant difference between countries around the world, which varies from doubling the number of cases every 2days in Belarus and Cameroon to 32 days in South Korea and now China is now the lowest growth rate, as it is doubling every 54 days.

I would say this about interpreting death rates however, because there is a distinct difference between Case Fatality Rate (CFR), Infection Fatality Rate (IFR) and Crude Fatality Rate. The latter is the ratio of the number of deaths from Covid-19 to the total population. Whereas the first (CFR) is the ratio of deaths to confirmed cases. The IFR is the truer reflection of fatality rate, because it takes account of the actual number of infections, which, I'm sorry to disappoint, is not yet know. Why? Because we do not yet have the capacity for testing as widely as we clearly need to. If you are interested in more detail of the statistics and analysis of this then you will find it here. 

'President' Donald Trump continues to prove what a dysfunctional personality he is. Journalists continue to follow their 'balanced' journalistic duty by reporting it, but, whenever I see the word 'Trump' in a paragraph, I cannot bring myself to read it, given that 99.9999% of it is going to be utter crud or totally misleading or simply straight forward (and so obviously) lies that appeal only to his utterly devoted and bigoted disciples. I felt some unusual need to air that, probably out of a sense of journalistic duty! Let's move on. 

As at today's date, Sunday 5th April, in the 30 days since the 100th case of C-19 was confirmed in the UK, on 6th March, the number has increased to nearly 42,000. That translates to a doubling of the number every eight to nine days. Confirmed case globally have now topped 1.2 million. 

As for the rest of our week, life goes on at home here, as we begin to consolidate our daily routines. Our first morning activity is always a 30 minute session of Tai Chi, followed by our daily cup of coffee. B will do several short sessions in the garden, which, it has to be said, is beginning to look tidier than it has done for some time ... given that our former external activities reduced the amount of time and energy she had to achieve this, but also given that the weather has been significantly drier than a month ago. 

My online meeting with both Hallmark of Harmony (forty-six of us last Saturday and at least 30 on Tuesday) and Fox Vally Voices (six of us) on Wednesday always lifts the spirits. And another applause for the Nurses, Doctors, Carers and staff of our NHS on Thursday evening at 8pm. The brotherhood and the bro-sisterhood are strong. 

We are counting our blessings by the day, by the hour, by the minute. And in each of those minutes, I give a thought to those who are adversely affected by this pandemic, both patients and their carers and those who will not make it through to the other side ...

In the mean time, here's a photo of me and my eldest granddaughter from this time two years ago, in the snow. The sun may truly be shining here today, as I write this, but it was also shining then too, albeit in a different way ... 

Grandpa helped me build a snowman ...

And this joyous performance from the Westminster Chorus that's so full of energy and uplifting feeling: Click HERE for some barbershop magic. 

And finally, a week's worth of choices from Clemency Burton-Hill's "Year of Wonder" follow here: 

Tuesday: O Jesus Christ, light of my life, BWV 118 by J S Bach
Wednesday: Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23 1: Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso by P I Tchaikovsky 
Thursday: Violin Sonata No.5 in F major, Op.24 (‘Spring’) 1: Allegro by Ludwig van Beethoven
Friday: Intermezzo in B flat minor, Op. 117 No.2 by Johannes Brahms 
Saturday: Symphony No.3 (‘Symphony of Sorrowful Souls’) 2: Lento e largo - Tranquillissimo by Henry Górecki 
Sunday: Fanfare for The Common Man by Aaron Copeland 




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