The world is good, bad and mad

Like all of us, I’m fed up with coronavirus coverage and Groundhog Day days. I talk to other folks, they feel the same. Then I realise it’s not a World War. I’m not worried about losing my life. I’m not going to take risks and expose myself to the virus, if I can possibly avoid it.

Then, like many, I look at the other side of the coin. I worry about finances and mental health of the general population. In fact, I wonder how many people have lost their jobs, their homes, their families, their senses, as a result of this crisis.

The not going out syndrome, enforced by law, is making us all different human beings.

Of course, there is the converse of this. I see friends travelling around Europe and the World, admittedly much less, but they are still travelling. Some friends even seem to be living their usual lives. They believe they are indestructible and don't care about the restrictions at all. Then most of my friends seem to be more counting their blessings as they get puppies and pets, enjoy spending time with their children and families, and giving a big thumbs-up to being on furlough as it means they are paid but at home.

Working from home or even working from bed is a blessing in disguise … or a mental straitjacket. It’s very hard or very easy. It’s your state-of-mind and depends upon how you look at it.

Strip all of that away and the hardest thing, apart from the lack of socialisation challenges, has to be money.

When you see airlines fold, retailers collapsing, hospitality and theatre going bankrupt and more, with the subsequent job losses which now run into the millions, you wonder how people are surviving. No job, no money, huge responsibilities, huge overheads. This is the mountainous issue that is the nightmare added to the mental health challenge.

As I watch news unfold and regular news debates, my biggest worry is how many people are losing their income and, consequently, their homes and livelihoods. This struck home with these three tweets:

I am very, very aware of the issues of this pandemic. I am very, very aware of the deaths and of the lack of being able to be with loved ones and family. I am very, very aware of the loss of earnings, livelihoods, careers and income. And I am also very, very aware of the impact this is having on lives and lifestyles. I’m sure you are too. It just raises a question: in the balance of things, what is more important? People’s mental health or physical health? As this crisis continues, I wonder how everyone is coping.

I’m OK. I’m still earning and had savings, and have a lifestyle that’s OK it's boring, but at least it's OK. I just cannot imagine if I was a single mum with three young children locked down at home in a small council flat, having to home school, and then losing my job and now no income, food, education, support or anything at all. How are they getting by?

It amazes me that the mainstream media is not covering this side of the coin more.

It is obvious that everywhere around the world people are struggling, and I guess the media wants to focus upon government policies more than real people’s struggles.