Everything’s in flux. Things are currently changing daily, seemingly hour by hour. We’re being slammed with all kinds of information, via media, government releases, and of course the Facebook meme. People are frightened, I understand that. This is the unknown menace, a fearful spectre of history, or a fanciful movie theme, and now it’s here, on our doorsteps.

My husband and I went shopping this morning. We needed the normal things – fruit and veggies, milk, bread, meat – and hoped (unrealistic I know) that there might be some hand sanitiser on the shelves. There wasn’t, so we shrugged and got on with the rest of our shopping.

When I hit the checkout, the poor guy on duty looked exhausted. I asked him how things were going. He’d been abused. People have been unreasonable, and the staff in the supermarket have been taking the brunt of it. This is not fair at all.

I understand that people want things, but we shouldn’t be greedy about it, or when we can’t get what we want, abuse the supermarket staff. We can be nice, think of an alternative, and go about our business. This is a time where we should be all pulling together and thinking about the greater good.

Of course, if people hadn’t been panic buying, then we wouldn’t be where we are now. We live in a land of plenty – unlike many in the world. There is enough, and more than enough to go around.

Of course, self-isolation is tricky, if you have to do it. If it happens here, I expect I’ll write another book. And finish editing the one I’m in the middle of editing, and finish the story about the dreadful virus that I’ve been writing for several years now….. And throw many tennis balls for the dog. (He never gets tired.) I could mow the lawn a lot if I’m well – ever since we had a bit of rain it’s like the grass is making up for lost time. I could bird watch (I have an app!) and check out the green tree frog that keeps ending up in the watering can. Couldn’t figure why the spout wasn’t working last week, and lo and behold, this was what I flushed out.

I could do more singing practice. (Sorry neighbours!) And drag out my flute, which has been sorely neglected for years. I have foam, and glue, and….I could make a whole set of Mandalorian armour! Or not. (My kids are now dying of embarrassment.)

Obviously if I end up unwell, I can lie in bed and feel miserable. Or perhaps catch up on some reading and sleeping. (I’m not making light of COVID-19 here, but by all accounts, the symptoms are of variable intensity.) Clearly, if I am unwell, I can make the world a safer place by taking a step back and staying in isolation.

And if necessary, I’m sure friends would drop stuff round, just as we’ll be happy to do the same for them.

Can I ask you to do a few radical things? Knock on the neighbour’s door and check they have toilet paper if you have some to spare. Let them know that you can help if they have to self isolate. Be really nice to the checkout staff. Smile and nod when there isn’t any toilet paper, and remember that you have alternatives.

When you see ‘the cure’ touted around on Facebook, please don’t share the meme. Because if there is a cure, it’ll be all over the news, not in a random Facebook post of unknown origin. If you’re going to share anything, share something nice, kind, or sensible – from your local health service/government, if you want to share COVID-19 info – and use the nice THINK method.

T – is it true? Really check this. I’ve seen so much that is not true, and much that is hearsay, and some that’s plain dangerous.

H – is it helpful?

I – is it interesting? (This one can be a bit variable 🤣)

N – is it nice?

K – is it kind?