Well, what a long year that week was?
I’m not going to lie to you, I’m, sans Fam, on the final rest day off from my Shifts – and if this is what Retirement’s like Facebookers …then I’m working until I’m 97.
And after years of wanting to clean my house but lacking the time, this week I discovered that wasn’t the reason.
No contact with friends and family, limited time allowed out, isolated, and alone, with a massive sway of disinformation, fake news and smears on social media – like being in an emotionally abusive relationship really but much less soul-destroying.
As we know, domestic abuse, isn’t always physical – it’s a pattern of controlling, threatening and coercive behaviour, which can also be emotional, economic, psychological or sexual.
So there are serious concerns for those trapped in a house, that should be a haven, as help lines have seen a 25% increase in calls.
And what about those poor kids whose only safe sanctuary was school. My heart breaks for them.
Kids caught up in this private hell can contact Childline whilst adults feeling the heat can contact our national Live Fear Free help line.
My mindset to cope with social distancing is that we are safest in our home, not scared or trapped, and every one of our citizens should be able to feel the same.
That’s if we are lucky enough to have a home of course, and my heart breaks for the homeless. A shame of our society that hit home hard on Saturday when I was talking to the young homeless lad outside Morrison’s as I did my social distancing shop. He wasn’t much older than my Boy.
Let’s hope that our governments and local authorities can work together to sort the streets to take those living on them to some sort of safety. And we should contact our Council if we are concerned it’s not happening quick enough.
Talking of the public sector, (which I don’t often as I still see myself as very much a Journo who sort of accidentally tripped into the Civil Service), please use them to find out clear, concise, factual information.
Check out Welsh Government here, UK Government here, and our excellent Public Health Wales here.
BBC News are also broadcasting live Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford’s Daily CoronaVirus Updates – and also the Briefings from Number 10 of course.
Special shout out too, to the many community groups, like the new Barry COVID-19 Group, who have shown our town’s famous spirit by stepping up to the plate. Thank you.
But please, please, please don’t just listen to Sharon chatting crap on Facebook – she was a Stay at Home Mum running a cheeky craft stall side hustle from the house last week.
This is also not a time to go rogue, and start playing fast and loose with the rules. Believe me, no one hates being told what to do more than me, and even I’m behaving myself…I know, I’ve shocked myself to the core too.
I maybe be a maverick in more normal times but totally get the Social Distancing rules, and why I must play my part.
They are:
Stay at Home
Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home).
If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times.
Wash your hands as soon as you get home.
Do not meet others, even friends or family.
Welsh Government have released an App to track your symptoms, read all about it here. This is NOT a tracking device to monitor your daily movements – that is a myth.
You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
So this idea that you can adapt them to your own personal circumstances, as I have seen so many times on social media so many times this week, is downright dangerous.
For example, I don’t care how many times you wipe your car down with anti-bac, and only sit people on the back seat, you still really can’t just give lifts to just anyone – capiche!
Harsh as Hell or Staying Safe?
We lost a work colleague to Covid 19 this weekend, and I have just heard of a young Barry woman, plus a bloke from my Local, fighting the Virus in the Intensive Care Unit as I type. Read that again – then decide.
On the day I should have been going (again) to see The Who Live in the ‘Diff, I know which one I am going for, as my Covid 19 philosophy is short term pain, long term gain.
Happy to hole up at Home, concentrate on being a keyworker, and miss all of my manic music madness, terrific travel trips, plus other social shenanigans, for however long it takes to kick this virulent virus into touch.
Come on Barry, we can do this!
Speak soon.
Mrs SVJ
Sue Vincent-Jones, writing as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and communications specialist. She blogs about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
My Corona Virus Diary is her take on this pandemic palaver – the long lingering Lockdown, our queer quarantine, the isolation nation, and how our town took to these crazy Covid 19 times.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.