Day 3 LockDown

29 March 2020

1187 cases
Recovered: no new figures yet
Deceased: 1(Western Cape) no new figures yet

Started the day cautiously optimistic, with today only 17 cases more than yesterday in our country. Only to read that it is not a true reflection of infection, it is only an indication of the numbers that were ready for reporting.

Everywhere online, businesses are begging for continued support, to keep the payment chain going and prevent economic collapse. To prevent staff layoffs and further unemployment. Further disruption of our lives and our future. Quietly, I echo their pleas and hope for the best, thinking of ways that we can continue existing for the sake of the people who work for us and their families.

There is so much good being written about. Neighbours waving and shouting encouragement to each other across the streets, the 7pm initiative where we all walk out of our front doors and clap for our services sector, our medical personnel, our emergency employees. Every person on the frontline exposing themselves so that we can stay home and be protected. People leaving tinned food out on dustbin or refuse collection day to share.

There is so much negativity on the other hand. Last night was Earth Hour, and we did an encouraging post on most of our clients’ social media platforms. Only to have angry comments in the line of this is the last crap people need. So much anger and frustration and lashing out at something innocent. Also still so much arrogance of the untouchables who still disobey the regulations. To what end, I wonder? Only to make all of this worse for all of us?

Life has become a BEFORE and AFTER. There was a time where I would, without a thought, quickly dash out to the shop to buy whatever we needed, be it for a meal or to fix something around the house or for a project or the office. Now it is a matter of planning around delivery times. And whether what I want to buy is actually on the list of what is allowed. There was a time where, if the kids got antsy, I would drive them to the bike park where I’d sit and read while they practiced cycling. Or we’d go for a picnic at the Botanical Gardens. Or we’d go hang at the mall or at their favourite restaurants. Now I have to think around activities for them that we can do at home. And with items we actually have. Without resorting to too much television time, because I am worried about the consequences.

The world has quieted down. There is no laughter in the streets, no cars driving close to us. I hear that elsewhere in town traffic is not really dwindling, but here in our corner, it is as if we are on an island of quiet. My children are the center of the universe that brings calm to my world. They keep me busy in so many ways that I appreciate, because otherwise my overactive mind goes places where it really doesn’t need to go.