10 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS - CAUTION OR IT'LL BE IN ISOLATION

You have heard of the 12 days of Christmas, “partridges in pear trees” and all of that. Well, in Coronavirus Times, especially with numbers of those with Omicron variant doubling across the UK every two days, we need to consider the 10 Days Before Christmas!

Omicron has arrived at the very worst time. Of course there is no time you would want Omicron but the middle of January would have played less havoc than the weeks and now days leading up to Christmas.

To catch this virus in the next 10 days messes up your Christmas and your loved ones Christmas, never mind all those doctors and nurses who might be overwhelmed in our hospitals.

The Stockies felt the threat in the last few days. A friend of our daughter Jasmine tested positive. Jasmine feared that she might therefore test positive too. That would mean isolating in her Reading house and missing the flight home at the weekend. Either an astronomical priced flight or a lonely Christmas Day in Reading beckoned. Never mind how gutted we would be to not have her with us on Christmas Day.

Taking a test immediately that declared her negative, she got on the next flight home to avoid such a scenario happening. She is now isolating until she takes yet another test. 

It highlighted for us the tender footing needed in these next ten days. Christmas Day family gatherings are at threat. The Stockies are being more committed to the government’s first piece of advice to avoid Covid-19 - LIMIT YOUR SOCIAL CONTACTS. 

So, we are glad after all that Deacon Blue cancelled. Let us enjoy a bounce around to Real Gone Kid at a less threatening time. We have looked at our week and taken decisions that will hopefully avoid us having a havoc ridden December 25th, though nothing is guaranteed. The spiced beef is almost ready for goodness sake!

All of us are different. I am still impressed with the offices in London who wear wrist bands. Red if you are very cautious and don’t want anyone too close. Orange if you are cautious. Green if you are pretty easy going and could handle a hug!

Which one of those we are depends on our personalities and perhaps underlying health issues. I have a CT scan before Christmas because of a chest cough that has lingered and therefore I am on the red side of orange. I have many friends who are red and many others green.

Whatever your colour I encourage you to be cautious. I have known the tragedy of people who have died of Coronavirus. I know those who have grieved. I know those who have felt guilty that they might have passed on the virus. I know families whose holidays are in disarray because of loved ones testing positive. 

It is time for tender footing. It is also time to understand those with different coloureds wrist bands. Let us make wise decisions. Let us also decide to show grace to those who step back from events. 

Being cautious for the next 10 Days might give us all the family Christmas experience that we all love and perhaps, after the 21 months we have had, we really need more than ever. Let us not threaten it thoughtlessly.