Thoughts about the Coronavirus from a Swiss citizen living in London.
My colleagues are asking me to follow the Government’s instructions. In other words, I am expected to blindly trust Boris Johnson and the rest of the UK’s MPs with their decisions and their directive.
While the rest of Europe (literally every single country in Europe) is now taking radical measures in a bid to stop the spread of the COVID-19, Britain is, and there are no other words to describe it, chilling.
Children are going to schools, workers are taking the tube, mass gatherings aren’t banned, and if it wasn’t for some premier league football players becoming sick, there wouldn’t be a problem fitting thousands of spectators in some of Europe’s biggest stadiums.
Even Donald Trump Jr. has shown some initiative. One might argue that he has become the lesser dumb leaders of the two funny-hair-blonde leaders.
I am not British. My home country of Switzerland shares a border with a currently very shut-down and quite frankly broken country, Italy. Switzerland is now in a state of lock-down, just like I mentioned previously, the rest of Europe. I have friends from everywhere in Europe.
I hear horrific true stories which have not been shared in British media.
I can’t blame my British colleagues and friends for their indifference in regards to the Coronavirus pandemic. They simply do not know. How could they? Their government, which is supposed to act as the ultimate voice of reason, their law-makers, THE power which runs their island, isn’t bothered.
I too would probably think “it’s just the flu” if I was a Brit and I got all my information from British media. Not to mention, I would probably trust my government too, to keep me safe.
So yes, of course, I am expecting to behave and “follow the government’s instructions”. My opinions and concerns are not only disregarded, but also viewed as an annoyance. I would even go as far as to say that my fear over commuting to work for three hours on a daily basis across the capital and contracting the virus, is viewed as being “dramatic”.
“You are more likely to be struck five times by the lighting than catching the Coronavirus”, so I’m told.
As a London underground driver is confirmed to be tested positive for the COVID-19, and almost 300 new confirmed cases have risen since yesterday (in the UK), people ridiculing my concern is, but an act of utter self-reassurance, and as my dad calls it, a way to “live in a bubble”.
I love London, I appreciate British culture, but I hate their ways of always “doing things differently”. In this case, I am not talking about Brexit.
Fortunately, people, well actually mostly Londoners, have come to their senses, and have started a petition in a bid of making the Parliament finally taking the right measures. The petition has now raised to over 200,000 signatures.
Which would’ve been great news, as 100,000 signatures are needed for the Parliament to review and put the topic up for debate.
But besides news showing up of new confirmed coronavirus cases, the UK’s approach on tackling the pandemic is pretty much non-existent. The petition seems to be ignored, and we are once again delivered to ourselves, with expectations of acting just like the government wants us to.
So I am telling you that I will not follow the UK’s government instructions because they do not protect me, they do not protect us.
Research beyond traditional British media and make your own decisions, but mostly, help our population to stay safe because this virus might not kill you, but it might be fatal to your neighbour, your brother, your grandparent, or even a colleague.
Remember, politics are not a geographic border.
In the meantime, I would also like to point out the fact that many people within the LGBTQ+ community work freelance.
This means performers will suffer from great financial loss whenever (or if) the government finally puts a hold on public gathering.
Consider supporting these performers through not asking for refunds from cancelled shows, or donate to their chosen means of online banking (usually found on their social media).
