Floods and snow have given us headlines which remind us that there is a world around beside the antics of human beings, but this was the week in which Joe Biden replaced Donald Trump as President of the USA

Hope and inspiration at Joe Biden inauguration | Biden inauguration | The Guardian

Though there is relief and hope because of this, the world is experiencing great difficulties – most particularly because of the Covid 19 crisis

Lockdown:

Measures to keep going in the UK despite the effects of lockdowns on the availability of paid work are expensive – but will have to be lived with:

• Scrap benefits cut to stop millions falling into poverty, Boris Johnson told | Universal credit | The Guardian
• Older people who lose their jobs are at risk of remaining unemployed for the rest of their lives – This is a dreadful prospect for many: online ‘communities’ are forming in recognition of this problem and in a determined effort to overcome it Over-50s who lose jobs much more likely to stay unemployed, study finds | Unemployment | The Guardian
• Jobs, Money, Courses & Lifestyle for Over 50s (restless.co.uk)
• Centre for Ageing Better | Action today for all our tomorrows (ageing-better.org.uk)

Viral news:

• The demands of the direct effects of the virus on health and social care services are extreme and there is fear that we are not coping: Public confidence NHS can cope with Covid at lowest ever level – poll | World news | The Guardian
• Care Homes remain the setting for restricted lives, illness and death: Covid-related deaths in care homes in England jump by 46% | World news | The Guardian
• The mental health and well-being of ordinary people is being stretched, especially amongst young people One in four UK young people have felt ‘unable to cope’ in pandemic | Society | The Guardian
• If anything older people are toughing it out rather better experience-of-people-approaching-later-life-lockdown.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)

The availability of vaccines is a source of hope – The task of protecting the millions of people in this country is a challenge which is being met – but looking on a world scale there are early inequalities which may well persist

• WHO: just 25 Covid vaccine doses administered in low-income countries | Vaccines and immunisation | The Guardian
• India’s approval of covid vaccines triggers mass immunisation drive | World news | The Guardian
• Coronavirus vaccines offer the world hope – unless you live in Africa | Vaccines and immunisation | The Guardian

A survey by Savanta ComRes found that many people in this country are unsure of the meaning of terms which are in daily use: antigen, antibody, epidemiologist, circuit breaker, flatten the curve, support bubble, stay alert, asymptomatic, PCR test, and R number are amongst those which flummox about half of those questioned. I wonder how we would do in such a quiz. We will post some answers Antigen or antibody? UK adults confused by Covid terminology | World news | The Guardian

People will be counted, despite the pandemic – only 1941 has been lost to the Census since 1801

• Census to go ahead in England and Wales in March despite Covid, says ONS | Census | The Guardian
• Bees have been counted and are in decline
• Quarter of known bee species have not been recorded since 1990 | Bees | The Guardian

Sources of strength

Many are finding that the direct comfort and inspiration which come from communal worship are denied them.

• We are grateful for online and telephone communications, but thankful that some churches remain open for private prayer and modified, disciplined acts of worship Thousands of churches in England opt to close over Covid fears | World news | The Guardian

DIY is allowed from pets – and people are turning to dogs, cats and all sorts of weird and wonderful companions in increasing numbers Ferrets and tarantulas among pets to find new homes in lockdown | Pets | The Guardian

• Dogs and ferrets are not, of course, only for Christmas or for Lockdown. Let us hope the affection endures.

Radio and TV are other sources of spiritual uplift at all times, and most especially now. It is worrying to read that the BBC’s future is threatened by recent government decisions

• BBC faces financial ‘uncertainty’ due to reliance on licence fee – report | BBC | The Guardian
• The BBC’s strategic financial management (Summary) (nao.org.uk)

Children’s books are being revised to show how much loved heroes are coping in our new world

• Broom to Zoom: Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler launch new Covid tales | Books | The Guardian

 

David Jolley