I was pleased to read that the woman surrounded by three policemen and fined for sitting on a park bench was a set up organised by anti lockdown protestors, she was being tackled on another matter not for sitting on the bench. I was also pleased to see that the two ladies who drove 5 miles in separate cars to take a walk and coffee as they went had their fines rescinded too.
Consequently, the amount of revenue I potentially could have raised on Saturday has to be scaled down. Do we really want to make examples of the people who sit on a bench on the promenade? I would certainly hope not!
We who live in most places in North Wales are extremely lucky, particularly in my opinion, here in Llandudno.We have the two Ormes, Nant-y-Gamar, the North and West Shores to name but a few places we are currently free to wander. Even on a stunningly beautiful day as it was on Saturday the north promenade although well populated was nothing like the scenes of parks in the centre of the bigger cities.Is it any wonder those folk would love to get in to their cars and head off in to the open countryside for their own well being and personal safety? Instead they are labelled as selfish by those of us who enjoy similar freedoms on our doorstep. Yes, there is no way there is a need to drive a few hundred miles to achieve this, and certainly heading up a snow covered mountain whilst inappropriately dressed puts others at risk too when everything goes pear shaped but why push the population of Llandudno on to an icy and potentially dangerous promenade by telling us we are not allowed to drive anywhere at all for exercise?
We are almost at the 12 month stage of lockdowns and rules and where has it taken us to? An even more severe crisis than we had in the first place. There is no doubt it is easy to have an army of armchair critics such as myself who have zero experience of anything remotely connected to managing such a crisis but there again, what benefits have we received from those supposedly in the know?
We have all been waiting in hope for the vaccine and let's face it we have had months to prepare but in Wales it seems our esteemed leader tells us we are not in a race to distribute it. Really? If he means compared to other counties I agree but that's not the race we should be comparing to. It's the race against the virus that counts. What went on in Llandudno the other day did appear to be a rather poorly executed plan with some vaccinators being given on the spot training on what to do. The elderly and frail stood around for hours waiting their moment. Each and every year we have been vaccinating against flu, shouldn't we have at least gained some insights from that? OK the Pfizer vaccine is a bit more complicated but the Oxford one shouldn't be. Let's get it done and let's do it fast. Hands onboard anyone who knows how to wield a needle!
Meanwhile back to lockdown, and it is what it is. I can at least say I have been advocating social distancing and wearing masks in indoor public spaces and outdoors in crowded ones right from the off...more than can be said for the Welsh government until they U-turned. I have also advocated the most vulnerable groups have allocated times where they can gain a degree of freedom without risking the chance of mixing with those who have waved two fingers at the rules. I suppose the flaw in that argument is that I have seen many aged folk doing exactly that, basically ignoring everything whilst others I know have not even left their homes for months for the fear that has been instilled in so many.
As for me? I have done my best to be sensible I take regular exercise outdoors, will stop and talk to people at distance and without fear they will pass on the virus to me. I ignored the offers of cheap meals to save the hospitality industry. Didn't get us too far really did it, delayed the end for some businesses perhaps but hastened the end of life for others I have little doubt.
The nations economies have been crippled by lockdown and future debts. Is it really necessary to close down all those small businesses that were far more effective at implementing social distancing rules than the big supermarkets?
Oh, and talking of supermarkets I still go once a week and do a shop for my shielding neighbours whilst I'm there. It is by far the most dangerous place I visit. The supermarkets have made bigger profits than ever during this pandemic. We are all eating and drinking at home. It's time they went back to strict distancing rules and one way systems. OK it might slow things down but we all have all the time in the world now don't we, and besides the longer it takes the less often we want to go. It's a win win situation.
The long forgotten track and trace told us nothing, we are just given statistics that tell us how many people have been infected and how many have died. There is nothing to tell us any statistics of where victims may have contracted the virus or any attempt to analyse behaviour patterns. Maybe it's too difficult but I'm willing to put on a huge bet that more people have contracted the virus in a supermarket than in a car park where they are about two set off on a walk in isolation.
So, now we are at the stage where we are being threatened with a total lock in. No one allowed out for any reason. One rule covers all. Or does it? No it doesn't. I live in a decent sized house and there are just two people living in it. I have a rather large open space of a garden too. Spare a thought for those who live in a crowded city centre flat with no open spaces at all. Plain stupid though that a huge crowd congregated at Marine FC's ground to welcome their team yesterday and despite the police saying social distancing was observed I somehow doubt it.
Let's face it. It's every man and woman for themselves now. We can't rely on others, if we do were doomed.
