A Happy New Year to all Chandler’s Ford Today readers. Is there anything to be happy about? The only good news is that I have had the first of my vaccination jabs against COVID-19 (the Pfizer-BioN Tech for the techies, I can even tell you the Batch number if you like). The next one is due on Jan 9th. Then, at the end of January, I shall be free, protected, like a modern-day knight in armour. The vaccine is 95% effective. Does that mean that, if I get COVID, it will only be 5% as bad as expected? Or does it mean one in 20 of us might get COVID? More important is, although I am protected, could I spread the virus to others?
More important still is that the AstraZenaca vaccine is now approved and is more robust in that it is easier to store and distribute.
Party Outdoors
Before the latest lockdown we set up a chiminea and an electric radiator in the gazebo with rugs and a bowl of mulled wine for four friends to share with us. With mince pies, manufactured by the two of us, we had a good party. One of us had to sit outside the gazebo or we broke the distance rule.
On Christmas day we visited our granddaughter’s garden and were shown all her presents. Such a bouncy and excited 7-year-old, full of energy and sparkle. She tried not to show disappointment at my presents, a couple of new shirts, but I know she will enjoy seeing the results from my new wildlife camera. Her own present, a car to put her dolls in, elicited squeals of joy.
Home for Christmas
My sister completed her immigration from France back to England and was able to serve a 14-day quarantine just in time for Christmas. Brexit will make living in France rather tricky; but never mind, sunlit uplands and all that. She moves into a new flat in Wareham.
Projects
My wife, Brenda, has taken on projects and we have a newly decorated bedroom, a new kitchen with a freshly painted ceiling. I am hoping fervently that she does not decide to re-decorate my study. She has done several things in the garden and left a list of heavier things for me to do, removing some trees and planting others. Today, the garden is waterlogged.
Going on a Date
My wife has instigated a highlight for each week. Every Friday or Saturday is a date night. We dress up as if going out on a date. Our date is with one another to a fabulous restaurant in the dining room. We image it is a restaurant we have visited, on the quayside in Cyprus, overlooking the lakes and mountains in Kandy, the sophisticated Parisian restaurant on the left bank or the lively tapas bar in Spain.
We arrange steak and a tolerably good Burgundy and then flirt with one another.
Writing
I won first prize for writing in a competition – and the second prize in another comp. I have won back my subscription to the writing society and made a small profit on the year. Also, my writing ego has been flattered by inclusion of a few pieces in Dancing with Words – an Anthology of the Work of the Society of Civil and Public Service Writers, Rainbow Valley Books, 2020, ISBN 978-1-9999829-2-8. There are contributions from another Chandler’s Ford author and CFT contributor, Gopi Chandroth.
Viruses
My main activity is to stay out of sight of the virus. I am, perforce, a student of virus behaviour. If I know what the virus will do, I can try to out-wit it. If you understand the virus, there is no need to bother about what the government says, I can work it out for myself. The government have been consistently two weeks behind the curve anyway and there is not a biologist among them.
There is no unusual Hiltingbury activity to write about. We put the bins out, collect the mail, bring the bins in, order stuff on Amazon and decry what vacuous programmes there are on TV; but we have discovered a few gems. People walk past on the road. If I am in the front garden, I offer a greeting, some respond, others swerve away and avert their eyes. The important thing is to be able to do something creative, write, paint, decorate, improve something, read critically, knot, sew, even rearrange a room.
I find Zoom most unsatisfactory but necessary at times. It will be lovely when we can meet our friends for coffee again.
Love the new kitchen, Mike, and the gazebo looks very cosy!
Wishing good health, happiness and increased freedoms to all.
Enjoyed that Mike – full of good sense. Many thanks and all the best for 2021
You’re very lucky! I like your thoughts of freedom – a knight indeed. But you are right to be concerned about what dangers you are still in & might present to others.
An old school friend of mine who works at a GP surgery in another part of Hampshire. She was tasked with calling the over 80’s patients given priority for the first run of vaccine to book their vaccines. She reported that over 50% had refused it! I’m really shocked and disheartened at this, particularly given that in their lifetime’s they will have seen how vaccines have changed the outcomes of many illnesses that were once killers. Why are these people refusing it? Are there repercussions for them if they go on to catch it? Should they be charged for accessing NHS health care? Of course they won’t, I’m just flabbergasted at this large scale refusal and so frustrated because others are eagerly waiting who would love the opportunity to have it ASAP!!!
But in thinking about the refusal I’m also thinking of the people who would have it but cannot since they all continue to be 100% at risk. And what of people who will be having the vaccine and yet will also, through no fault of their own will continue to live with large risks. Let me explain that….
The COVID vaccine is a live vaccine. I’m medically immune suppressed to help with an autoimmunity disorder and as such cannot have live vaccines. I thought I’d be in the can’t have the vaccine group however medical professors specialists in their field are telling us because we’re clinically extremely vulnerable we are to go ahead and have the vaccine when our turn comes around. OK, that’s a relief but….. there’s a ery big HOWEVER in that while most will have that 5% risk factor you have told us you will enjoy, for us, regardless which vaccine we have, the protection it will provide is reduced. How much by? Is it 90% or 80%? Maybe it halves it to around 47% . No one knows. It could be less. All I know so far is that it’s better to be protected than not.
The outcome of this is that after having been vaccinated we must continue as before (i.e. to shield/follow tier guidance).
But here is my point, whatever your protection from zero to hero everyone should continue to follow the hygiene rules of hand washing, wearing a mask, keeping distance etc because we are all still at risk from each other. That person in the queue at coop, he might not have had his vaccine yet, the old lady at the chemist who dropped her brolly, she refused it altogether. That lady there, only 50% protected from her vaccine …..
You said you had carefully studied the virus Mike, and you’re right our responses have been way too late throughout, I just feel that the questions your raised as to what that 95% or 5 % meant to you or it’s possible impact on others needed a bigger conversation.
Certainly the odds for most people who get vaccinated are exponentially better. But dont rest on your laurels since that 5 % failure rate is still there and it is worthy of continuing to be vigilant with hand washing and distancing etc for yourself as well as to protect others who are on a sliding scale of prevention/protection ranging from 0 to 95%
I don’t say all of this to bring you or anyone down but to open eye and minds. We can’t allow misunderstandings and misinformation to lead to mistakes. The government has done this with the virus. Omission of information, sweeping it under the carpet because news like this doesn’t fit an agenda or read as well as a headline that 25 million people have been vaccinated! is a crime made against everyone.
Without question our collective route toward regaining normality is going to be via vaccines.
But we must recognise, take account and act responsibly to protect all those who can’t, those who won’t, for those who will or have but are unfortunate to be in that 5% failure and all of those who will but for whom there are other complicating factors at play that reducing the vaccines effectiveness.
I don’t want to be a voice of doom here. I don’t want us to lose sight of the prise. A certain degree of freedom will come if we behave in ways that nurture those around us and I know Chandlers Ford people are invested in this way. The virus will soon have less places it can thrive and stay alive We simply need to continue taking precautions to protect others & ourselves. I’m thinking less of a Knight and more like a superhero!
Like you Mike, in this fresh new year I too am looking forward with positivity.
You and your good lady are pulling out all the stops aren’t you! I very much admire the energy you both share. Your home & garden (excluding your study) look very beautiful, the gazebo in particular looks so cozy, I’d love to see it at night lit up with the warm glow of firelight from your chiminea. I hope you’ve got lots of fuel as it’s been jolly cold!
How romantic that you’re both making such efforts with you Date Night creating a space draped in the memories of your shared experiences around the world, The magic and sparkle is obviously still there..
And huge congratulations on your award winning published prose. It’s lovely that you and indeed all of the contributors at CFT share your words so generously. Thank you. I certainly enjoy them.
Take care & be safe for yourselves and for others
This is a thought-provoking reply. Thank you for taking the time to discuss this.
I must say I am also fascinated by the Date Night. What a great idea! It sounds beautiful.
Mike – a wonderful and inspirational piece of writing. Interesting thought about the Govt being behind the curve – I would have never guessed it was just a couple of weeks. Anyway thank you and a Happy New Year to you and Brenda.
Just an open question – with the vaccine is there a North/South divide. My Mum is 2 months off being 100 and hasn’t yet been contacted by her surgery which has a note displayed, I understand, saying don’t contact us about the vaccine we will contact you.
Wonder how you feel about the suggestion for the 12 week gap between doses.
In the confusion of the onset of WWII, I never got my whooping cough vaccination. Then I had a severe bout of whooping cough and nearly died. Since then, I have lived with damaged lungs which has meant repeated chest infections and lots of antibiotics.
So – if you have an offer of vaccination – take it and be thankful.