Coronavirus entry 1: It's here

Never have I been more concerned about the world we live in than the way I am right now. Currently, we are going through a pandemic called Covid-19, also known as Coronavirus. 

Originating in China, the virus has already seen its origin country go into lockdown, followed by Italy, France, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Germany and some states in America including New York, California, Illinois, Connecticut, New Jersey and Ohio. Other countries including Australia and New Zealand are close to doing the same and it's looking more likely that the UK will follow, along with many other countries world-wide.

To date, 281 people have died in the UK since it broke here at the end of January and 5,683 people have been confirmed as having the virus. It's believed it started from an infected bat that got passed to humans, however the cause still isn't entirely clear. Symptoms include a fever, tiredness and dry cough, shortness of breath, aches and pains and sore throat; all very similar to a common cold. Most people who contract the virus will recover, however it is having a significant effect on the elderly and those already with pre-existing medical conditions eg cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer. 

Vulnerable people are in isolation with immediate effect, and anyone with these symptoms, have been told to self isolate for 14 days. Those who don't have symptoms, or are not classed as "high risk" have to social distance which means keeping at least 2 meters away from people....a little difficult for those still having to go to work.

The Government have closed schools with the exception of children of key workers and so children are now having to be educated from home. All exams have been cancelled and GCSE's and A Levels are being marked based on predicted grades, rather than exams. Pubs, restaurants, gyms. cinemas and theatres have been ordered to close and for the first time in 700 years, Churches are no longer opening for mass, instead sermons are taking place over the internet.

Mass panic has swept the country and supermarkets have sold out of supplies. Restrictions on how many products you can buy, if you can get hold of them, are being enforced, and rules are in place now so that the elderly and NHS workers have priority over the rest of us, just to give them a chance to buy what they need. 

We are living in a very confusing and unpredictable world right now and it is scary and worrying. So many decisions are having to be made. Shops and businesses are closing, many people are working from home and every day, we are seeing a rise in the number of deaths.

Despite everything we are being told, so many people are still carrying on as though nothing is wrong. The weather this weekend has been lovely - probably the best we've had so far this year, and so people have been going out and about to enjoy the fresh air. Although this is something we can still do, unfortunately, there have been a lot of people ignoring the social distancing rule, which has caused so much frustration and anger for many people. 

Things are changing every hour. Life is unpredictable right now but there are as always, so many people trying to do good and help. Coffee shops and various takeaway businesses are offering free hot drinks and meals to NHS staff, local support groups have been set up on Facebook and there have been a plethora of people offering free online exercise classes and mindfulness events to help people stay fit and healthy in such a troubled time. 

It's staggering to see what impact this is having on the world, and I just hope it's something we can get hold of and stable sooner rather than later.