Change is Needed

This Coronavirus is really showing our human race up for what it is. Maggie Thatcher’s policy of ‘me first’ has well and truly matured. It is not a pretty sight.

Thanks to the UK parliaments lack of leadership and over reporting by media of scare stories from other countries, some people have shown their true colours. Yes, they may be panicked but that is still no excuse for the way they are behaving. Last night I read a comment on social media that a woman was buying gluten free products because the shelves were empty of the normal product. When challenged she said the coeliacs could go eat vegetables and rice as she needed food. Why could she not go get vegetables and rice and leave the gluten free for those who need it? This morning I read a post that a young mum could not get gluten free food for her son as the shelves had been cleared. She had to ask the doctor if she could get an early prescription for bread, pasta etc.

Given that our predecessors lived through the war on a weekly ration of food that some gannets could devour in one day, I think we all need to take a look at ourselves. I think the chef and the greengrocer from that tv programme could be doing with going into a lot of our kitchens and telling us what we don’t need to be in there. Some people are having to do without and there is no need. Most of the big supermarkets do home delivery and will continue to do so through this period. Community groups are offering to fetch shopping, medicines etc for those who cannot go out. Small cafes and restaurants are offering to deliver cooked meals. Many of us are keeping an eye on our neighbours. You may have to go without a favourite snack but you will not starve!

What is going to happen inevitably, if this goes on for many weeks, is that some small businesses will fold. We have a huge amount of eating places that just will not get the footfall as people are working from home and we are being advised not to gather in numbers. Some may be able to survive by delivering meals to homes if the demand is there, but some are just not going to make it as overheads are huge. What the UK government is offering in help seems to be a loan to keep staff paid but this will have to be paid back further down the line. If the profit is not coming in, this will make it just too hard to find the money to pay back the loan.

Meanwhile, as we are advised not to gather in large numbers, a large number of privileged older people are gathering in the Lords at Westminster and costing us a fortune. They should all be self isolating at home and sharing the pain with everyone else. Stay well, stay safe and please try and be nice during all this upset.