Surviving London. COVID-19

Let’s start off by giving you some medical history so you know that I could easily die from catching COVID-19. In 2014 I underwent a year of two types of chemo to wipe out my immune system. My body was attacking itself due to various auto-immune diseases I have. Since then, I inject myself regularly with a form of biomedicine to keep my immune system at bay and from attacking my bones. I could EASILY become a statistic in the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

Am I worried? Not really. 

Am I stressed? Nope. 

Am I stocking up on bog roll? Na. 

Am I hiding at home under a Dettol soaked duvet? Not on your life. 

Am I taking precautions? Yes. 

 

You see, I live in London. My only real form of travel is the tube and London buses. I don’t drive and unless I want to take an Uber everywhere (which will become very expensive very quickly) I need to get out in the real world somehow. 

 

This weekend I embarked on a quest across the city that took me and my partner around London and through pubs, museums, places of interest. We needed to figure out clues and find a “hide out” whilst staying away from Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Moriarty’s Game is an excellent day out. It’ll really make you work your brain but done with the right people it can lots of fun. 

 

During the day I was on and off trains, in busy pubs and museums, finding hidden hints and generally around people. I kept washing my hands every 30 minutes or using sanitiser, I washed my hands before and after food, I didn’t try to kiss random people on the tube and I was conscious to stay away of anyone that looked ill. 

 

All in all, London was pretty much business as usual. I wouldn’t say that it has been drastically hit as the media would have you believe. Yes, there were people on trains that decided to wear masks, but I counted less than 10 in total. (I was out for 7 hours), Oxford street didn’t look like it does at Christmas time with 100,000 people barging about, there were people on the trains, buses and tube, people were still visiting the attractions, they just looked a little… cleaner. 

 

When we got home, I spritzed us both with Dettol before we entered the house and we both stripped off and into PJ’s so the house wasn’t contaminated with “outside” clothes but if I’m honest this is a pretty normal thing to do when you’re from London. We go outside and come back feeling icky because of the sweat, smoke and general pollution so we tend to clean and change when we get home anyway. 

 

So, right now, I’ll just be carrying on as normal. I’ll be going to certain lengths to keep myself alive but I won’t be losing my head and listening to 99% of what is written on the internet or said on the news. The media want to keep us in a sense of panic and most people on Facebook who couldn’t manage a pass in GSCE science are all now naturally Scientists and Doctors so they’ll be getting ignored too. 

 

Remember – “Oh that sounds like it could be true” DOES NOT MAKE IT TRUE! Do your research, listen to The NHS and WHO, not your mates. 

 

Stay smart, stay safe. 

Until next time, 

 

Dee x