I finished my run of night shifts yesterday, I woke up from what was meant to be a power nap 7 hours later.
Another day off wasted.
This is the annoying thing about nights, they steal your days as well.
I awoke to the latest scandal – the Cummings and goings of our Government.
Dominic Goings has decided to run with his solo Herd Immunity project, and despite he and his wife displaying symptoms he drove 200 miles to get some help with childcare.
FROM HIS ELDERLY PARENTS.
Risky biz Dom.
So obvs there has been an uproar. It’s one thing to pop and see your parents down the road for a socially distanced chat in the garden – but let’s be honest he took the piss. I think it’s more the fact he left the house with symptoms which is the issue for me, a blatant disregard for anyone other than himself. At the time the advice was relatively clear compared to this “Stay alert” nonsense, the people working around him were robotically and relentlessly repeating the “Stay Home Save Lives” message, it was their answer to every question for about 6 weeks. He will have been helping to develop the advice he ignored, which is why people are quite rightly annoyed.
One rule for them and another for us
That’s the general vibe I’m hearing off people.
There have been some serious sacrifices made by many over the last few months, and to them it feels like a massive screw you. A close friend of mine recently had a baby, there were complications meaning she had to stay in hospital with the little one for two weeks. Due to Lockdown regulations her husband had to leave straight after the birth, she spent the first week coping alone, no physical contact from anyone other than healthcare professionals. She was a new mum, with a poorly baby and social distancing rules stole her support. It stole her husbands first week with his baby, time they will never get back.
Another friend nearly missed the birth of her own twins. After the most heartbreaking struggle the past few years, my mate and her husband were finally preggo through surrogacy, and their surrogate lives in the Ukraine. A few weeks before they were due to fly over there, the Ukraine closed its borders, they spent a week or so battling bureaucracy. Not only did they fear missing the birth, but also potentially the first few months of their lives. Thanks to their efforts and those of their lawyer they were given permission to fly over, however only unless they quarantined for two weeks when they got there. Which they dutifully did of course. There are many families who weren’t as lucky, many babies and parents still separated, abiding by rules made by people like Cummings.
I’ve spoken in previous blogs about the loss felt throughout this time, many feel as though something has been stolen from them, many grieving for time and experiences lost. People have literally died alone. I’ve had to reassure family members and try to ease the burden of guilt they bear due to their forced absence at their parents final moments. Arranging funerals they are restricted from attending due to their contact with those that passed away. We have accepted these unnatural practices for the greater good, a respect for this virus and the damage it causes, and a responsibility to do your bit to “Save Lives”.
So these are just some of the elements of our frustration, it makes a mockery of the effort the rest of the country have made. This is further compounded by the response of the government to this scandal, manipulating guidance to fit his narrative, but it doesn’t wash with us. To claim he and his wife were too unwell to care for their child, and then drive 250 miles – is another slap in the face to those who have actually suffered. Matt Hancock went as far as blasting it all over twitter that that Cummings was entirely right to drive 250+ miles, whilst so ill with a virus that he couldn’t cope with childcare, to deliver said child (likely contagious) to his elderly high risk parents.
Not only that but we should now swallow his expert advice on symptom severity without question, because he’s had it himself.
Cheers Matt, I’m all for qualitative research but I think I’ll be guided by actual science thanks.
So now we’re left with this frustration and injustice with yet again no consequence for those flouting the rules they made. The us and them argument has been stoked, another splash of oil on the fire of inequality.
This crisis has stuck a magnifying glass on those who work against the greater good, but I don’t think the sun is bright enough yet to let the truth burn, or is it that the magnifying glass isn’t clean enough?
Who knows, but the stink of corruption lingers, those believing themselves above the rules the rest of us follow, still reign unchecked.
Although the rest of the country have recognised the value of Key Workers, our leaders and their minted mates still disrespect us and our worth in society. The contrast of our treatment based on our economic contribution is overwhelming. Tax payers money used to pay for furloughed staff of companies who’s owners haven’t paid tax in years. MP’s firstly given £10k to adapt to lockdown working, and then promised a pay rise higher than the rate of inflation, this is after receiving an increase every year for the last five years.
In comparison the wage of NHS workers despite the infamous pay deal has increased at a much lower rate than that of the MP’s, so marginal that most hardly noticed the difference, some ended up worse off due to increased tax and pension deductions. Nurses in London are apparently receiving a £250 bonus for their contribution battling COVID-19, nothing yet for the rest of the country, and I would imagine it will be taxed so they come out with less.
Although I shouldn’t grumble, Matt Hancock dismissed any talk of pay rises for NHS staff cause it’s allegedly not the right time.
It never is, unless it’s around an election.
We’re actually probably the lucky ones, those working in community care settings have been risking their lives, with less protection, for little more than minimum wage. The Care system has been encouraged to become a business, corporate bosses earning nearly a million pounds a year, whilst their staff scrabble for PPE and are paid a pittance.
The Health Secretary’s answer to all this – a branding.
A badge.
A useless marketing tool to distract from their arrogance, but all it did was highlight it.
Cummings oozes the same disdain, and this current situation is a perfect example.
Let’s just hope there’s some sort of consequence this time.