#@Ed_Davey

[thecpdiary]

A Government that doesn’t care

The pandemic hasn’t and isn’t easy for anyone, least of all for those who are high risk and/or who deal with a mental illness, of which I deal with both.

I have and continue to struggle, particularly around the decisions that have been made, decisions that have and continue to leave me in a worse mental place. Although it will have been difficult for any residing government to get their decisions right, caring about others and wanting to put others first, is the first step.

If the UK government did care, they’ve got a funny way of showing it, and if they do care, different decisions will have been made. The pandemic isn’t finished and if it is finished, why have scientists now brought a new vaccine out? Just because we want to believe something is happening, doesn’t mean that thing is happening.

The UK is choosing to accept the pandemic is finished, because it’s something they’re desperate to see happen. I have heard it said so many times by those close to me that the pandemic is finished and yet the scientists have told us the pandemic is here to stay; now on our part, we should behave as if it is.

I am high risk, and like thousands of others who are also high risk, I am being told that my life ‘doesn’t matter’ that I ‘don’t matter.’ And although the UK government haven’t quite come out with those words, their actions belie the fact that they don’t care.

The pandemic hasn’t gone and yet, with all precautionary measures now lifted in the UK and the fact that the UK government are choosing not to talk about the virus any more, it seems for many it has gone. In practice of course, the virus is very much alive and kicking.

In the UK at this point we can’t change governments, but we can change how we individually go about our lives in the pandemic, not only to support our loved ones, but to equally realise, there are others that need our support, for those like myself who are four-walled, and until common sense prevails, we are locked in our homes.

So, please remember to face hands space. The slogan the UK government came up with initially, to help send the pandemic on its way. Without continuing to face, hands space, as we’re seeing cases are continuing to rise, the virus can continue to mutate and those high risk, like me, shall continue to be locked in our homes.

For more inspirational, life-changing blogs, please check out my site https://www.thecpdiary.com

[thecpdiary]

A life far from normal

Living with a disability in the pandemic and my life is far from normal.

There are days when my experiences are raw, there is no getting away from the fact that I have been through a lot and now I am four-walled because of lifting restrictions on the 24th February, 2022.

It is important all governments base their decisions on the different groups and sectors, so we may all get to live our lives. Governments should work with difference. I am different and have different needs.

Through my blog, I am able to write about the many discrepancies. For those like me with a disability having to fight to fit in, just to be able to live our lives is enormously difficult.

Living with any disability is mentally waring, in the pandemic many of us are now four-walled and although the words, ‘I don’t matter’ haven’t been uttered by the UK government, through social media, people with disabilities know they don’t matter and they don’t care.

It is because of lifting restrictions that I have been institutionalised because the government aren't bothered to work with those who are ‘uniquely different’ and who need protecting.

All it would take is to introduce face coverings in public spaces, so we can all get back into our lives. With or without the vaccine you can still catch and spread the Covid virus. No one is safe, Covid is untreatable and incurable, the vaccines only work for a finite time; we all have to want to care.

Last century, people with mental disabilities were institutionalised. What is the difference? The similarities are staggering. Now stuck in our homes, I am staggered at the ignorance.

For more inspirational, life-changing blogs, please check out my site https://www.thecpdiary.com

[thecpdiary]

A Dr’s Viewpoint on Covid

Since precautionary measures were lifted on the 24th February, the vulnerable and the clinically vulnerable are now forced into their homes.

GP Dr Hannah Barham-Brown, has described the UK government as one that has prioritised “vino over vulnerability” saying that the parties held at No. 10 Downing Street during lockdowns and other measures “laugh in the faces of the disabled community, and the health and social care staff who care for them."

Can you imagine how it feels to hear this when the only human interaction some have had has been with a carer or a delivery driver or postman and an occasional wave through the window to family members or you have be unable to leave your house for two years with little or no social contact because of your disability, or because you are at high risk of contracting Covid-19, while government ministers, including the Prime Minister have held parties and social events.

In the UK all measures have now been lifted meaning disabled and clinically vulnerable people who may have to remain in their own homes, so that they can stay safe.

A caring society would have considered their needs when planning to lift the restrictions and made these groups a priority, instead of the needs of these groups who have been ignored. This continues to be my disagreement with the way the pandemic is handled in the UK.

(Source: https://www.theguardian.com)

Conclusion

How is any of this right? Although recent events will have taken the spotlight off ministers over the 'partygate' scandal, it has not gone away.

Also, whilst precautionary measures have been lifted, GP Dr Hannah Barham-Brown’s opinions will echo throughout the disabled, vulnerable and critically vulnerable communities.

It is difficult to comprehend how a Government whose job it is to tend to everyone’s needs are only tending to the needs of the majority. Since the restrictions were lifted on the 24th February, Covid cases are still rising, with Covid cases in hospitals also rising.

As the majority of people have their lives back, life is different for the many thousands of disabled, vulnerable and clinically vulnerable people who have been four-walled and as Dr Barham-Brown says, our needs have been ignored. They should have been a priority in the lifting restrictions, so they too could have a life.

It’s a moral and ethical travesty. As disabled, vulnerable and clinically people, we have no life outside the home, neither do our spouses. For those who care, the moral and ethical travesty will not sit with them well. How is that sitting with other’s consciences?

For more inspirational, life-changing blogs, please check out my site https://www.thecpdiary.com

[thecpdiary]

UK PM lifts all remaining Covid restrictions

Over the two years we’ve been living with Covid-19, I have continued to document Covid, primarily so I can lower my anxiety. Over the years, the UK Government have made decisions that have concurred with the party only.

I continued to live with hope, thinking the UK government would continue to keep measures in place, so that we could all stay safe and now it seems the fight is over. For Boris Johnson 'it's a moment of pride.' (Source: https://uk.news.yahoo.com)

Covid-19 Vaccines

Right now we have vaccines that don't fully protect, decrease over time, which means you can still catch and spread covid. The vaccine doesn’t give full immunity, and doesn’t fill the original UK government brief that Covid would protect, the reason why we were all asked to roll up our sleeves.

Loss of liberty

I wanted to believe the government had my back and that living with a disability in Covid would be okay, but now with restrictions lifted, thousands of disabled people like myself who deal with a disability, and those who care about their health are losing their liberty for good. On the 1st April covid tests will also stop, apart from 75-year-olds, 12+ vulnerable children and the immunocompromised.

We're told, the vaccine roll out is to continue, but you can still catch and spread covid with the vaccines, so how does that help anyone? You could be standing next to someone in a queue, and still catch covid, immunised and not know. The Government's logic makes no sense, it never has.

Conclusion

So, lifting all restrictions will mean that if anything should happen once restrictions are lifted and cases begin to rise, it's too late to pull back, to help those people who weren't infected and who become infected. It will be 'our fault.' The government also won't know how many become routinely infected.

It also means the authorities and scientists will continue to go to ground, which is what we've seen over the course of the pandemic. It's a lose, lose situation.

It means the very vulnerable will continually be exposed and if they're not that's because like me, they have chosen to stay home, to keep safe. The choices I have personally made because what's been asked and sanctioned by the UK Government, doesn't fit my needs.

You can't also expect to continue to vaccinate without an expiry or cut off point. I couldn't realistically start the process for that reason. I have friends on vaccine number 4. There is talk of a more longer-lasting, more protecting vaccine, will that now happen on those lifting restrictions?

The independent scientists are under an enormous amount of pressure, given the 'pandemic has ended' or at least talking about it has ended. They have been silenced and continue to be silenced throughout this process. Social media is also very quiet.

We hadn't until yesterday seen or heard from the UK government scientists. At the PM's press conference, they fell short of calling the government out and have again asked that we continue to follow 'the precautionary measure' rules. Their hands are literally tied. They are helpless to talk in any way that will go against the PM.

My only hope is that once the restrictions are permanently lifted, cases will rise and Councils (who are monitoring any changes) will start to make common sense decisions moving forward. I say start, because throughout Covid, there has been little in the way of common sense decisions that have protected us.

I am finding it very difficult to comprehend that the reason I am home full-time is because the government have decided to lift restrictions, rather than find a solution that helps us all get back into our lives, no matter what we deal with, comfortably and safely.

Under the UK Government’s watch, and following their advice, too many people have died from Covid. It remains to be seen what will happen when restrictions are lifted completely on the 24th February.

A note to ponder, the UK is the only country lifting restrictions. The Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, do not agree with the UK Government's decision. I think we all need to ask ourselves, what kind of PM does this?

If you’re looking for more info, or fancy grabbing your copy of my books, please check out this link – https://linktr.ee/Ilana_Estelle

For more inspirational, life-changing blogs, please check out my site https://www.thecpdiary.com