7 minute read
Good Friday 2020
Good Friday 2020
This was a Good Friday with a difference. We were in the middle of a Global Pandemic, due to a deadly virus called SARS-CoV-2, which causes a ‘flu-like disease called Covid-19. It had originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and was reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on New Year’s Eve, 31st December 2019. It is a Corona-virus, named because, viewed with the help of an electron microscope, the virus is spherical in shape, but has crown-like projections on the outside. It is these projections that are able to latch onto host cells, like grappling hooks, when they invade a host organism, such as bats, pangolins or even humans. The outbreak in Wuhan was linked to a food market where live animals are sold. While the virus seems to have originated in bats, it seems to have passed to creatures called pangolins and then to humans. Once the virus has invaded a host, it is able to pass through the cell walls within the respiratory system, where it uses the cell machinery to make replicas of itself. This eventually causes the host cell to burst, spilling out millions of virus particles, which can invade neighbouring cells, cause distressing symptoms and can even be fatal. These virus particles can then be passed on to other people, through droplets emitted when coughing and sneezing, or even simply through the breath.
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For most of the world, New Year’s Eve, December 31st 2019, was celebrated in the usual way, with fireworks and parties; since, at that time, the rest of the world did not yet know what was happening in China. But towards the end of February, it became apparent that the Covid-19 disease had spread beyond China, thanks to the fact that we now live in a Global Village and air travel allows people to travel anywhere in the world & carry with them on their travels whatever infections they may have.
During the first week in March, we heard that Italy had become an epicenter of the new corona virus in Europe. Meanwhile, a handful of cases were discovered in Ireland, most of them brought by people returning from ski holidays in Italy. Because this is a novel virus, newly evolved, nobody in the human population has any immunity to it, so we are all susceptible. Older people are particularly vulnerable. Our Government acted swiftly to take measures to curb the transmission of the disease, by closing schools and universities and any non-essential industries and offices. Department stores were closed. Even the pubs were closed, in advance of St. Patrick’s Day & the traditional parades all over the country were cancelled. People were asked to work from home where possible and homeschool their children. Those showing symptoms
of high fever and dry cough were tested, to see if they had the virus and while awaiting the test results, were asked to self-isolate, by remaining at home & avoiding contact with other people, lest they pass on the deadly virus.
Then came the news that the number of cases of Covid-19, in Ireland, was growing. It seems this is a very contagious virus and people become infectious even before they start to exhibit symptoms. People were dying from this disease, especially among the older age groups. The Government brought in new measures, asking those aged over 70 to remain at home and not even go out to take exercise, or to buy food. Instead, they had to rely on family and friends, or neighbours and volunteers, to bring them the bare necessities of life. This was called ‘Cocooning’.
On Good Friday, 2020, I was one of the ‘Cocooners’. It had been over two weeks since I had left my home. Luckily, I had gone out to do my grocery shopping just before the new measures came into force, but by Holy Thursday, my supplies were running low. I was reluctant to try online shopping, as I had been told that there could be a two-week delay, before the goods would be delivered. Then, I was informed that my local Supervalu would accept orders from ‘Cocooners’ by phone or e-mail & would deliver that same day. Because Easter was coming, I decided to avail of the service and I included some eggs in my order. The food was indeed delivered, by a helpful volunteer, that same evening.
Well, Good Friday started like any other day. During the morning, I logged onto facebook and took part in the on-line gentle exercise session for older people, streamed live, on the ‘Age & Opportunity’ facebook page. This is a service they are providing on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays during the covid-19 pandemic. Then, since I had plenty of food, I enjoyed an excellent lunch (though without meat, since it was Good Friday). Unfortunately, I had run out of bottled gas for my gas cooker. The local shop, which used to supply the gas, had changed hands last year. The new owner now has a different gas supplier & had refused to accept my empty gas cylinders. So I had not bought any bottled gas & was relying on my microwave oven for hot meals. I found I could cook rice, pasta, baby potatoes, fish and vegetables very well in it.
Due to the pandemic, large gatherings were forbidden, so there were no Holy Week ceremonies in the churches. Instead, I tuned in to RTE 1, to watch the Good Friday Liturgy, which was broadcast from Mullingar Cathedral. It was most devotional, but in an almost empty church. Apart
from the priest and readers, there were four vocalists, who sang appropriate motets ‘a capella’, in beautiful harmony.
After that, I pottered around in the garden for a while, cutting the grass and sweeping and raking debris. In due course, I came in to get myself a cup of tea & some toast & I decided to have a boiled egg as well. Normally, I would boil an egg in a small saucepan on the gas cooker, but since I had run out of gas, I decided to use the microwave oven. I boiled a kettle, poured the hot water into a small pyrex bowl, carefully lowered two eggs into it, using a dessert spoon and transferred it to the microwave oven, to cook on high for 5 minutes. (I don’t really like a soft boiled egg.) Then I used the dessert spoon to fish out one of the eggs and left the other egg to continue cooking for another 5 minutes. I intended to hard boil that egg & use it in a salad the following day.
Well, I was enjoying my boiled egg, with tea & toast, when suddenly there was an almighty explosion! It caused me almost to jump out of my skin! There was a loud report, the door of the microwave oven flew open and out poured clouds of steam, as well as tiny bits of exploded egg. Needless to say, I got a terrible fright and I made a mental note never to try to hard boil an egg in the microwave oven again. It took me ages to clean up the mess. While I was doing so, the radio was on, but after about 20 minutes it suddenly became silent. I checked and realized that there was a power cut. However, the lights were still working, so I knew that one of the circuits had been tripped. I went down to the utility room & climbed a stepladder to check the switches & found that the ELCB (Earth Leakage Contact Breaker) had been tripped. So I returned it to its ‘on’ position and when I returned to the kitchen, I found that all the appliances had power again, even the microwave oven. So, to test it, I put a cup of water in it and turned it on for 30 seconds. It started to work as usual, but before the 30 seconds were up, the ELCB had tripped again. So now, it appears, the microwave oven is out of action.
This happened a week ago. Luckily, I still have some bread & cheese, salad, fruit and wine, as well as tea & coffee, milk & breakfast cereal. That will do me for a while. But I do hope to be able to get out again before too long, to see if I can find someone to replace my bottled gas & maybe buy a new microwave oven!
