Health section.qxp_Layout 1 22/07/2021 14:54 Page 58
MENDIP TIMES
Living with Covid
FOR the millions of English citizens who were led to believe football and freedom were coming home this summer, it’s turning into something of a disappointment. England has combined a superlative vaccine attack with a dismal border defence, with the net result that By Dr PHIL 52% of the population is protected by HAMMOND full vaccination but we still have uncontrolled spread of the highly infectious delta variant. It may peak soon, have already peaked or carry on rising. But in the meantime, millions of people are being told to isolate by the Covid app or Test and Trace, despite having no symptoms, negative tests and full vaccination status. Time will tell if the damage to the economy from mass isolation outweighs the damage from the virus now we have high levels of vaccination. But those who hoped double vaccination would buy them complete freedom are understandably angry. And don’t even mention foreign travel… Personally, I would pay a lot of money to avoid Covid, short or long, but I feel the same about, say, pancreatic cancer and dementia. The fact that two free jabs and a few sensible indoor precautions dramatically reduces the risk is something of a miracle. I wish the same applied for pancreatic cancer and dementia. The challenge with all infectious diseases are that they are infectious. Personal choice can’t be divorced from public consequences. If mask wearing in the crowded indoors dips below, say, 70% it is likely to be much less effective. Likewise, if the notion of “freedom day” dissuades some adults from bothering with vaccinations, others will also pay a price. The good news is, and always has been, that the great outdoors is very Covid safe, so get out there, have fun, enjoy the Valley Fest (I’ll be there) but be mindful of those less fortunate. There are 3.8 million clinically vulnerable people out there for whom much touted freedom day may actually lead to more fear. We need to respect the fact we are all different, but need to live kindly and sensibly together. Oh, and buy my book (please). Dr Hammond’s Covid Casebook is out on August 19th available for pre-order now. His Radio 4 series, Dr Phil’s Bedside Manner, starts on August 26th at 6.30pm.
PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • AUGUST 2021
Plop the Raindrop
I THINK it was a cow that started things off. It was bawling just as the first golden wash of sunshine started spilling across the valley. This is probably my favourite time of the day, a new dawn which could offer a day of new adventures. But in the cool of the morning, before the sun got too hot, I was happy to snuggle down in the crook of an oak tree’s branches. Later there is a danger the heat could whisk me back in the sky along with billions of other little water droplets. Then heaven knows where we might end up. It’s nice to imagine, at first light, that you are the first thing awake, like a pioneer of some sort discovering a new world for the first time. It’s magical while it lasts, before the sound of traffic noise starts and you human beans turn on those phones and laptop thingies. But obviously I wasn’t the first thing awake, because the cow had woken me up. I wondered why it should send such a blood-curdling bellow at 4am in the morning. Perhaps it was thirsty – it was a warm night. Perhaps it was giving birth. Perhaps it just couldn’t sleep and wanted to annoy everybody else. Well it did. Suddenly sparrows everywhere started tweeting like a thousand dripping taps. I know a lot about taps. Then the seagulls started screaming, yak, yak, yak, yak, yak, spinning past on their way to newly-mown fields. The farmer had cut and turned the grass yesterday and would come back later, when it was dry, to roll it into big plastic bags. I got stuck inside one once and it was a very sweaty experience. Above me a couple of collar doves started to have a chat. You have probably heard them, repeating over and over: “How are you? How are you?” I’ve never heard one reply. Then the rooks got going, rolling out of the treetops like a squadron of old fighter planes in a totally random formation. It’s a mystery they don’t crash into each other. They were also heading for the fields. Over the fence, jackdaws have launched a dawn raid on some bird feeders, but are being chased off by magpies. There are about 100 starlings sitting on the roof above, chattering louder than a Mad Hatter’s tea party. I’ve heard about such tea parties, but can’t say I’ve ever actually seen one. The cow also woke the other cows, who all started mooing. That woke the cockerels who started strutting their stuff. Then all the dogs got barking. Inevitably curtains started twitching in lots of bedroom windows as the world woke up to a new day. And the magic was broken. MENDIP GRANDAD
