These past 500, plus, unforgettable days have seen the entire world largely terrorised and paralysed by the malignant curse that is Covid-19. Whilst some governments and ruling bodies have reacted more wisely and efficiently than others, all will have made errors, some of them grievous, which, at times, has resulted in the loss of numerous lives.
I fancy that our own administration in Downing Street and at Westminster have, like so many others across Europe and around the globe, got a great deal wrong when it comes to handling the pandemic, but it would be churlish, surely, not to give credit for that which they have got right during these traumatic times; the life giving and saving vaccines developed, partly, in the UK and the alacrity with which our government has got the jabs into the arms of the populous, deserves only praise.
How future historians will view this dangerous period through which we are living is clearly an unknown, but they will surely recognise that the billions inhabiting Earth have been confronted by a pestilence never before known; thus there has been no previous knowledge and experience to be drawn upon.
Our government, generally, and naturally, has been guided by their medical advisors – their ‘experts’. The problem is that, as they also will not have knowledge of anything remotely like this virus before, their advice has been largely based upon scientific probability – at times possibility – but never total authenticity. Thus have errors been made, some very serious.
However, it would appear after all these dismal, fraught months there is some hope we can move back to something approaching normality, although the way of life we knew prior to 2020 might not return for years – if ever. Thus is it not time for us in this kingdom – indeed, throughout the world – to accept that Covid is a malevolent dragon with which we all have to learn to live, something to be very wary of, to treat with real caution, but not to fear and assuredly it is not a menace which we can allow to totally distort and control our lives.
With this in mind, I very much agreed with the comments made by the Secretary of State for Health, Savid Javid – a victim of the disease himself – when he said that we must not allow ourselves to be ‘cowed’ by Covid. Now the Dictionary definition of that word is ‘intimidate or dispirit’; thus, as I see it, he was saying that whilst we all should be cautious in the way we go about our everyday lives and be aware of the dangers that accost health – indeed, life itself – when confronting the virus, we should, as much as is feasible, pursue positive habits as we strive to get back as close as possible to our previous normality.
Thus much credit must be given to the thousands of athletes, coaches and officials from around the world who travelled to Japan to take part in the Olympic Games. Here was a country with a frighteningly high rate of virus infections and an appallingly low roll-out of vaccinations; but these diverse competitors went nonetheless; likewise the British and Irish Lions rugby team flew off to play in South Africa – another land with a particularly virulent form of the disease and a massive casualty rate.
Such praise cannot, however, be directed at the administrators in Australia and New Zealand of that other popular code using the oval ball – rugby league. For they have displayed vivid evidence that they are very much cowed by the lurgy; they have withdrawn from the World Cup due to take place in Britain this autumn. It is their right, of course, but it will deny their players – good sides both of them – the chance of winning the ultimate trophy in this sport; on the surface of it this decision appears craven.
Assuredly it is to the benefit, hugely, of the democratic world that the British people were not cowed by an enemy back in 1940; for the foes of our land – and much of the world – whilst very visible, were of much greater magnitude and viciousness than coronavirus. Our cities were partially – often majorly – razed to the ground by bombing, vast numbers of Britons, military and civilians alike were killed and maimed. Yet we were not daunted; as a race we fought valiantly and, despite the odds being stacked against us, we won.
There is, to me, though, a most disappointing end to this article; for having praised Savid Javid for what he said, sadly because some folk thought he was insensitive in his use of the word ‘cowed’, he apologised and withdrew it. I am baffled as to why he did so; whatever, it must be virtually unique, a politician saying sorry for being right.