Cases on the up

Last week we spent two hours in the back garden bird watching with some Ukrainians. It was wonderful to hear the little girl laugh at the robins. I was a bit apprehensive in case our guests thought we were somehow making light of, or ignoring, their problems.

In the words of the Mum 'Please, Ukraine and everything happening, and the worry, is always inside us. But we would go mad if sometimes we did not try to think of something else. And I do not want my daughter to be always frightened. We must try to do ordinary things so we are not always wondering what is to come.'

Sometimes it is good to take a step back and think about something else.

Covid is alive and well everywhere. I’m very unhappy about this free for all that the government are allowing.

I see Scotland are keeping rules for face coverings in shops and public transport until April due to the rise in cases.
Another critical incident was declared at our local general hospitals last weekend, the fourth this year. This means they cannot admit patients and appointments are cancelled. Covid is still alive and well here!

Absolutely Callistemon. I saw the first primroses whilst out walking today.
Awareness and care about the many threats to our, and others well-being and existence, without cancelling out any positive experiences is quite possible. I don’t believe it’s indulgent, in fact I appreciate more, things which I may previously taken for granted.

Posters hadn't heard of the floods in Australia LilacChaser and it was hardly reported and perhaps not important in the scheme of things, but devastating for those involved.
And could be ominous for the world too.

I suppose if someone lost a loved one due to Covid or have long Covid themselves, it would be hard to think of much else. The fear of catching it is still with a lot of people too.

Despite all the dreadful news, I do try to find a glimmer of something good.
I thought I saw blue tits investigating our nest box yesterday

Well COVID is certainly still with us. I tested positive yesterday after a week of singing, playing in a recorder group and socialising here there and everywhere. I wasn’t careless but picked it up somewhere along the way. So far it is just like a very bad cold and I’m certainly spending most of my time sitting down or lying on the bed. DH is still ok at the moment so maybe he won’t get it, but I think we will all get it at some time, and once we stop testing may just think we have a bad cold. (Remember those?) Just hoping that we don’t get a new more nasty variant, which we need to remember is possible.

Unless you've lost somebody to this disease, or have suffered long covid, then all this fuss about it is really distasteful and, frankly, indulgent.

Or if you have good reason to think that one of those things might happen to you or to a family member - which means a lot of people on GN.

How do you suppose that worrying non-stop about Ukraine and forgetting covid will help anyone Lilac?

Yes, Callistemon, in the scheme of things, my post is dismissive of Covid. You quote deaths - 6 million globally - compare that to the 50+ million through Spanish Flu.

I think the restrictions due to covid have a lot to do with Putin's actions now. All that isolation - all that time to brood, to plan, etc.

But, yes, other disasters carry on. It just makes me annoyed to hear people witter on about whether they, or the people around them, are wearing masks, for example. I guess a lot of starving, dehydrating, injured, sick and trapped Ukranians would give their right arm just to have that slight worry on their minds right now. In that way, people here are being indulgent.

I do like your point about spring flowers and birds nesting, though, and yes, in this respect, I'm guilty of indulgence, too. I saw two groups of hyacinths growing together this morning - one group was deep blue, the other bright yellow. They were specially beautiful.

If I mention spring flowers and birds nesting will I be accused of being distasteful and self-indulgent?

Despite all, spring is arriving here.

I think your post is dismissive of Covid, LilacChaser

There have been over 6m (six million) deaths from Covid worldwide so far and it is still killing people.

Do you not think Putin chose his moment to start his invasion and destruction of a country and its people?

Discussing and worrying about one subject doesn't mean we can't show concern or think about another.

Syria hasn't gone away either, nor Afghanistan nor Yemen.
Nor droughts nor floods.
Nor any other crises in the world.

I don’t think people are “flapping” at all LilacChaser.
As the OP states Cases on the up so posters are airing views about the rising numbers of Omicron and any possible significance, or none.
Unfortunately Covid hasn’t disappeared yet, however much we would wish it so despite the terrible war raging in Ukraine, which I’m sure we’re all mindful of. In fact in many ways covid may complicate the issue.

For goodness sake!

Given the catastrophe that is happening in Ukraine, which has the potential to spread globally, why are people still flapping over Covid?

Unless you've lost somebody to this disease, or have suffered long covid, then all this fuss about it is really distasteful and, frankly, indulgent.

Lots of ‘insults’ flying about then? volver I suppose it’s the nanny state we now live in.

I wish people wouldn't report posts when somebody is insulting. I like to stand up for myself and I like people to know what others are really like.

Ah well. Not my call.

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Another vote for volver

You have been clear, calm and consistent with your Covid posts ???

Farzanah

In the words of Prof Peter Openshaw, of the Government New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, as reported in Guardian today, I think it’s a shame that the message seems to have got out to the population is that it’s all over and we don’t need to be cautious any more.

My own county hospital has had an increase of covid patients admitted which of course impacts on non covid care yet again.

Well, other events have taken over the news.

It doesn't mean other news or important events have gone away

It is rare for any curve to go down in a straight line without humps and bumps, so yes, there will be surges, and even sudden steep falls, followed by a bounce back.