Corona & Me

"A rarefied gaseous envelope of the sun and other stars / a part of the body resembling a crown". Somehow this seems an inappropriate name for the Corona virus, unless you think of it as an envelope of illness around the world.

Anyway, hitherto I have been very laid back about it. I know that I am in the highly vulnerable group - 75, with several co-morbid chronic conditions & a Pacemaker. But I looked at all the other things I could die from & decided that it wan't a huge risk.

WHO top 10 causes of death 2019

• Heart disease: 647,457.
• Cancer: 599,108.
• Accidents (unintentional injuries): 169,936.
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 160,201.
• Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 146,383.
• Alzheimer's disease: 121,404.
• Diabetes: 83,564.
• Influenza and pneumonia: 55,672.

I have changed my mind this week. I have also changed the way I intend to live. As the news has got worse about this virus I think it is sensible for me to take the liklihood of catching it seriously. Then I do have to consider the distict possibility that it might kill me.

That is no real problem in fact. Something is going to kill me sooner or later. I would rather it wasn't a virus which could make me very ill indeed though.

The thing that changed my mind was one of my volunteering jobs, working on the reception at NOA community centre. When I arrived for this weeks shift they had a really well thought out set of actions for everyone. So I decided to withdraw from being a volunteer usher at the Oxford Playhouse theatre. I hate letting them down, but I feel that being with a mass audience, even though they will have sensible protocols in place, is too high a risk for me personally.

For the moment I am going to keep going out almost daily for exercise & fresh air. I am going to socialise in small groups, e.g.family. I will avoid unnecessary travel on public transport. I have ordered high alcohol hand sanitizer & will take hygiene very seriously. I haven't rushed to bulk buy anything, but I have already got my normal fairly well stocked freezer & larder. I have plenty of books to read & I have joined the out of hours membership of the library. I can keep in touch through the internet. I have created a group of swimming friends who will hopefully help eachother should the need arise.

I do feel a subtle change. I feel that this virus is a living threat hanging over me & waiting to pounce. I can't see it of feel it, but it is there somewhere. I'm literally dancing with it trying to avoid it if I can.

We all need to be careful & care for others. Maybe, just maybe, this epidemic will make us all look at how we are living our lives. Maybe it will change us & our habits for the better. I hope it will bring out the best in us, the kindness, the altruistism.

There is an opportunity in all of this. Hopefully we will take it.