h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So how is everyone doing. Hopefully we are still on schedule for the reopening of pubs..

Still here.

I don't visit pubs or bars anyway, though.

Keep on keeping on.
It still seems a long time until pubs re-open, My local doesn't have an outside area so it will still be closed, when pubs with beer gardens can re-open

Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, will have a six-week season starting in July. They can do that because they perform outdoors, though under a roof.

I'm not bothered about pubs. Was good to meet a friend for coffee at a picnic bench in the local recreation ground a few days ago. Rule of 6 (in own garden?) will be good.

I think the hairdresser will be my first place to visit.

So how is everyone coping now the first lockdown anniversary has past?

I've cautiously begun visiting places I used to like. But with the proper safeguards.

I think I've got 'institutionalised' - so used to being at home I'll need to get the hang of socialising again!

Kids go to school again (youngest full time the others 1/2 or 1/3 of the time). Corona test appointment phone number on speed dial for every running nose. working from home 50% of the time (office population is still below 10% of before the pandemic, with strict mask, distancing and hygiene rules in place)

Curfew is at times I would normally not be outside anyway.
I was already rowing single sculls before the pandemic. It is only harder to get a boat reservation now (everyone wants to do single sculls now) and cleaning protocol is very strict.

Waiting for the vaccines.

After getting both shots, I did some socializing for the first time this weekend. Most of the folks I was hanging out with have been fully vaccinated. They've been socializing all year. I kept seeing their boofcake posts and thinking, "Do you want the 'rona? Because THAT'S how you get the 'rona." They were squishing together for selfies at work and out at restaurants.

Well, yeah, they're vaccinated now, but they all got the 'rona before they got vaccinated. One had the first shot and caught it before getting the second. Several of these friends work in the healthcare industry and really should have known better.

About 30% of healthcare workers around here aren't vaccinated.

I was really cross that on BBC news last night, they were talking about what you can now do
(in different parts of the UK). Not once did they mention social distancing remains part of it.

Did they used to stress distancing?

They still do here.

We have now been given a new slogan - Hands, face, space, fresh air.

Strange that we were promised enough weeks to assess impact of each new re-opening before the next - yet big changes this week with only 2 weeks before the next 'milestone'. I'm still feeling very cautious.

Three cases at primary school. My son tested negative despite very runny nose. (I read an article about the ability of the common cold virus to block out COVID, that might explain the low infection numbers in small children)

Several kindergartens around here are now completely closed and the staff are in quarantine. Figures are soaring - although I still haven't actually met or heard of anyone I know who has had Covid.

The weather was really hot yesterday and I felt quite ill in the afternoon. But I soon felt better - I think it was just heatstroke from playing outside with my grandson.

How are vaccinations going?

"Strange that we were promised enough weeks to assess impact of each new re-opening before the next - yet big changes this week with only 2 weeks before the next 'milestone'."

Ah - that must explain why the 26 March step was counted as step 1 as well as the 4 March step being step 1, so there are sort of three weeks between step 1 and step 2 The statistics aren't looking tooo bad, though so hopefully the good trends continue