COVID DIARIES: Let's not undo all the hard work

As part of the #BeatCovidNE campaign he has been keeping a diary of life in lockdown.

Here are his latest thoughts...

“The recent bad weather, especially the ice and snow, created a busier time at work as we dealt with a lot of slips and falls. The call outs are still pretty constant but we don’t expect anything less, given it’s one of our coldest winters in a few years and we’re living through a pandemic too. It’s busy but we’re doing fantastically well at managing workloads and ensuring we’re reaching as many people as possible.

It’s good that hospital admissions are slowing but we need the number of those requiring hospital treatment to be a lot lower, reinforcing why social distancing rules still hold the key to the North East coming out of lockdown. Stay at home. That’s how we’re going to make real progress.

Although the rules seem simple to follow - wear a mask, sanitise your hands regularly and keep social contact to an absolute minimum - they can be easily broken.

As we’re in lockdown we’re not spending money on going out whether that’s to the pub, the cinema, a museum or a soft play. Because of this, many people are spending more money on home improvements.

Tradespeople are legally allowed in your home but it’s so important that they follow the guidance and you do too. If you are getting any work done, please ensure the tradesperson is acting in a Covid safe way. They must wear a mask. They must always remain two metres away from you and any other member of your household.

Avoid talking at length with them and even offering them a cuppa. I know that may sound excessive, but the virus can be passed on so easily even if you or the person doing work in your home isn’t displaying any symptoms. The same applies if you see someone in the street, popping to the local shop. It’s natural to stop and chat, especially when you aren’t seeing many people at the moment, but is it worth the risk? Give them a call when you get home instead.

We know we’re dealing with a virus that spreads like wildfire, so we must have this at the front of our minds when in public places. Even at work for those who can’t work from home, remember the importance of ‘hands, face, space’.

I read in the paper that supermarkets and non-essential shops are experiencing higher footfalls lately. I know we’re growing bored and the lockdown is getting tiresome, but we are right on the verge of seeing some form of relaxations to lockdown. Let’s not undo all our hard work. We’re so close now.

The vaccination programme is going from strength to strength. This percentage will continue to rise over the next few weeks and put us in a strong position. I know it’s tough, but we just have to keep faith in the rules.

If you are struggling, which is completely understandable given we’re nearly a year into life-changing restrictions and repeated lockdowns, please don’t keep it all in.

Talk to someone. Keep your spirits up, pick up the phone - it’s really important to talk. And look forward to when we can see each other in person again; laugh, smile and have a hug. Those days will come again.”