Covid19 and a new year

 This Year 2020

We are on the last day of the year 2020. At the start of the year we all had hopes and dreams for the new year. We thought this is my year or our year. We were optimistic. A new year means new everything. New years resolutions( even though we don't keep them) we need to make them. It all symbolizes hope. All the traditions we have. 

 At the same time we we weary due to what we were seeing in China. We all knew it could come but hoped it would not. We planned our year and lived our lives with the proper amount of enthusiasm and zeal required. We went about our lives. School, work. And then....It arrived and threw everyone's life upside down. And yes I say everyone because even if it is minimal Covid- 19 and the ensuing lockdown affected us all. 

We all know someone, who knows someone who was affected or infected. Someone who lost a family member. Someone who has recovered and can't stress enough how horrible it was. How painful or how debilitating. Yes not everyone is affected the same. We have our A-symptomatic people who are fine. Except for unknowingly spreading it. 

Common Symptoms

Sore throat

Fever

Headache

Shortness of breathe

Then the ones who get it so bad even without having underlying conditions. Then those with co -morbidities. Covid- 19 is so scary. I am afraid to go to the shops but I must. I have to get supplies. I am glad for the sanitization at shops. Seriously. 

Just when I thought , YES, our numbers are declining . We are beating this thing. WHAM. A variant. What!! Really. School is set to start in January. We are on level 3 lockdown with different regulations until January 15 2021. Then what. If we do not comply with the regulations and the numbers keep rising, who will we blame. You are responsible for you. All I can do is monitor my actions and movement and that of my family and hope that we all think the same way.

Do your Part

 Our lives cannot come to a complete standstill again. For us lower income earners that depend on that monthly or weekly paycheck we cannot afford to go full lockdown. On a good month we can't save what still about those that depend on daily odd jobs for day to day living. I know my personal lockdown experience was horrible for lack of a better word. I do not wish it on anybody. People we are raising children to be responsible adults. They learn by example. If I am not wearing a mask and washing hands or sanitizing, my children will not. I know them like that. 

But luckily the educational advertisements on TV are great. My now 5 year old was 4 when this Covid-19 came. She pays so much attention to those wash your hands adverts. I have to monitor her hand washing or else she won't come out of the bathroom. And when one of us come from outside she asks us if we sanitized. She stands ready with the sanitizer in hand when asking that. So I applaud the SABC for those adverts. 

I feel that we as the adults must be the change we want to see. We must adapt to the New Normal. I personally love it. I never could stand someone on my neck in the grocery store. It irritated me because there is a thing like personal space. So let us man up and accept the new normal or change it by behaving appropriately.

Yes we all slip up. We miss people. Especially at this time of year but we have learn from mistakes. If I realize I did something I shouldn't have I must make sure not to do it again. If you do something repeatedly, it is not a mistake. It is a habit. So please. We are on the last day of this unconventional year and we are still here. Thank You, I am grateful. But we must do things differently.

We as people are responsible for the fact that our kids can't go to the beach or the mall. They must sit at home as they have been all year during the festive season. No. That's not right or fair. Let us stop being selfish. Think of others and what they will be deprived of. Education, A social life, Family.

To prevent the new year being a repeat of this one it will take change. Change your mindset. Physical change will follow. We are a strong nation and we can beat this thing if everyone does there part. 

I wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Thanks

Till next time