Pandemic diary – week 31

Monday, 12 October 2020

I believe numbers best describe where we are and this has been the massive surge in new infections that prompted to me restart my diary. The same trend has been visible across Europe, however in order to get the full picture, one must not compare absolute numbers, but the number of new cases daily per 1,000,000 citizens. In the most dire circumstance, i.e. in Czech Republic on 10 October 2020, 0.08% of the entire country’s population was tested positive on just one day.

Looking outside and on the traffic density map, I see traffic volume is somewhat lower than around a week ago. With the rising number of infections probably more employers switch back to home office.

 

Tuesday, 13 October 2020

Number of new cases relative to population is a measure which has to be combined with a number of tests per 1,000,000 citizens. In Poland the cumulative number of tests since the inception of the pandemic is the fourth lowest in the EU, with Croatia, Hungary and Bulgaria lagging behind my homeland.

My thoughts go out to Czech Republic and Slovakia, half a year ago both praised for exemplary crackdown on the coronavirus. They have fallen victim to complacency and loosening of sanitary regime. Misfortunes strike out of the blue.

 

Wednesday, 14 October 2020

It might seem strange, but my workmates being relationship managers still meet clients (clients insist on face to face meetings), but more and more meetings are cancelled due to incidents of COVID-19 at clients’ premises.

One of side effects of obligation to wear face masks outdoors is decline in physical activity. My father who would walk to Auchan every 2 days to do the daily shopping said he would not lug shopping bags when breathing is impeded and began to drive.

Today the number of daily COVID-related death exceeded 100.

 

Thursday, 15 October 2020

Number of people on quarantine reached 296,000 today. Most of those people have had an interaction with somebody infected with COVID-19, but instead of testing them, Polish authorities tell them to stay at home for 10 days. Many of those people cannot work at that time, which increases additional losses to the economy. It seems we can afford thousand of idle people, but cannot afford widespread testing.

Experts threaten that in a few weeks number of daily cases (detected and not) might reach 200,000. With a population of 38 million, within 190 days every citizen would be infected. And apart from a humanitarian tragedy, what then? Would the epidemic burn out?

 

Friday, 16 October 2020

Went to the swimming pool this morning. It is the last day before gyms and swimming pools are shut down. Droves of people there, probably trying to lap up swimming before it is forbidden.

Just like in late March, those days we have to live with uncertainty. Making any plans for a week or two ahead makes no sense.

 

Saturday, 17 October 2020

Since yesterday I partly self-isolate myself, i.e. meet nobody else, but my girlfriend who, on Wednesday talked to a workmate whose flatmate had been tested positive. As it turned out, Sanepid is not interested in tracing such person’s contacts.

The first day when swimming pools are closed until further notice, since in chlorine water the virus has ample chances to spread, while dancing schools remain open. The government strategy of selective lockdown lacks rhyme and reason and contradicts any common sense. With swimming pools closed and limited possibilities to do sport outdoors (it is confined to place where one does not have to cover face, i.e. forests, parks and other green areas) looking after my physical health is getting more difficult.