Pandemic diary – weeks 36 & 37

Monday, 16 November 2020
The percentage of positive results of tests carried out yesterday reach record-high 59.3%. I bet this horrifying figure will be seen higher by the end of year.

Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Headlines that the coronavirus was present in Europe in autumn 2019 hit the newsreels again. I have no idea, whether those assertions are unfounded, but undoubtedly any hint that the virus was with us, life went on and the health service carried on without collapse is a water to the mill of conspiracy theorists.

Wednesday, 18 November 2020
I observe three reasons why people with mild symptoms of COVID-19 do not seek GP advice.
Firstly, signing up for a remote visit by phone is a daydream, first available slot are usually after 7 – 10 days, i.e. when patients already recover.
Secondly, quarantine and isolation rules are absurd, especially the latter being imposed when a person is on the mend. Besides, rules regarding obligatory sick leave for those working from home remain unclear.
Thirdly, people are afraid of losing a portion of their income for a period of extended absence at work, their or their household members’.
Little has been done to bring some order into that lousy chaos.

Thursday, 19 November 2020
I am growing sick of how Szlachetna Paczka is run in the times of the pandemic. Time for comprehensive washing dirty linen in public comes when it is over. If I was to name one organisation which has been prepared for the second wave of the pandemic worse than the Polish government, Stowarzyszenie Wiosna deserves that title. Several times a month I talk to executives of big companies who have taken precautions and established enforceable sanitary regime in their companies. Szlachetna Paczka does have some makeshift procedures, yet most people inside the organisation do not give a damn even about them. This time I blame the people, not the system.

Friday, 20 November 2020
The number of deaths from the coronavirus in Poland exceeds 600 for a third day in a row. Some experts claim they have reached a peak, others warn the terrific figure might hit 800 or 900. To make the picture full, at this time of year in previous years the average number of all death run between 1,050 and 1,100. On top you need to add increased number of death related to inadequate access to health service. This give you mortality soaring by 100% of more.

Saturday, 21 November 2020
The prime minister Morawiecki for the first time admits to mistakes his government has made and unveils a long-term plan of loosening restriction and announces the draft decrees will be consulted with entrepreneurs and other interested parties. I appreciate the effort to bring in the element of predictability and quantitative criteria to the crisis management. On the other hand, I cannot hold back from nit-picking:
- the number of new cases, though a good indicator is of limited cognitive value with scant testing,
- the decision to cumulate winter holidays over a fortnight period in the first half of January is mind-boggling and with no ban on tourism will contribute to spreading the virus. Given that the winter holidays period ensues immediately after the Christmas / New Year’s Day tide, I see here a plan of nation-wide crackdown on the virus within that period,
- potential restrictions in travelling for Christmas period should be pinned down immediately and clear criteria under which the would be imposed should be announced around now.

Sunday, 22 November 2020
The media are hit by a journalist coverage how a temporary hospital on the national stadium in Warsaw works. I am an ardent fan of Paweł Reszka – review of his book can be found on my blog (Czarni, Chciwość, Daleko od Wawelu) and put trust in his credibility and objectivity.

Monday, 23 November 2020
The topic of the day is the ban on gatherings above 5 persons during the Christmas period. The key questions raised by critics and by me is doubtful enforceability of such restrictions.

Tuesday, 24 November 2020
I worry about my mother, who has been struggling a pain in her hip for a few weeks now and refuses to have a proper doctor consultancy until the wave of new infections decline. I understand her fear, but believe setting off with therapy is the lesser of two evils on those days. I do not want my mother to be an indirect victim of COVID-19. I do not want her health to irreversibly worsen on account of the pandemic.

Wednesday, 25 November 2020
Poland is overtaken by Hungary in the nefarious ranking of EU countries which have performed the fewest tests per 1 million citizens. Since today my homeland ranks second on that list, but chances it takes the lead are miniscule, since Bulgaria with its even more inept handling of the pandemic stands little chance of catching up.

Thursday, 26 November 2020
Several European countries have commenced preparing infrastructure and logistics to widespread vaccinations. In Poland prime minister Morawiecki announced a few days ago he had commanded to begin preparations, but there are no palpable signs of those preparations materialising, unlike in Germany, Great Britain or Portugal. Hopefully Poland does not handle it as well as vaccinations against flu. Has anybody lucked upon them before we ran out of them?

Friday, 27 November 2020
Doctors say the lower number of infections in recent days is caused by fewer people reporting to their GPs with mild symptoms of COVID-19 and underline such stance puts their lives at risk if their health suddenly worsens. The infected fear isolation, quarantine for their household members, fear being stigmatised by neighbours and want to shun loss of income.

Saturday, 28 November 2020
The first day when restrictions are loosened and the next loosening ensues to earlier than on 28 December. Shopping mall are reopened after a three-week period of shutdown. Droves of people are reported to besiege shops there, which implies consumerism holds stronger than fear of the virus.