Mind mental health during pandemic, says royal
British royal Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, has video-called a number of new parents, midwives and other maternity service professionals to promote her message of mental health awareness during the coronavirus pandemic.
In a video posted on Twitter by Kensington Palace, the residence and office of Kate and her husband Prince William, the mother-of-three could be seen chatting via video-link with a woman who had given birth the night before, a midwife, and various others. “As organisations, you’re playing such a vital role, giving key information, you’re hugely trusted by the public in general and therefore the information that you provide is a lifeline to many people at this time,” Kate told professionals from not-for-profit mental health organisations on a group call.
The video was issued to mark Britain’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week.
In a separate snippet, Kate could be seen chatting with a new mother on her hospital bed, congratulating her on the birth of her son and acknowledging the strangeness of having the conversation via video-link due to social distancing measures.
“This is definitely a first,” she said, laughing along with the new mother.
A midwife also appeared from a hospital ward on the video montage, asking whether Kate could tell that she was smiling underneath her protective face mask. “With your eyes, yes I can,” the duchess replied.
Kate and William have long campaigned to raise awareness of mental health issues. Last week, the couple launched a new service called OurFrontline, which provides round-the-clock mental health support to key workers involved in the response to the coronavirus crisis.
William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, 94, has issued a number of rallying messages to the nation since it went into lockdown in March, including a televised address that was only the fifth of her 68-year reign.
More than 28 000 people have died of Covid-19 across the United Kingdom.
Down Under has a new meaning to me: enough frustration, worry and anxiety to put you down… It all started with my threeweek trip to visit my youngest, Chandre, and her husband, Marinus, in Sydney. I landed middle March sans my hubby, Danie, because this trip was only for the mothers-in-law … But how were Ella and I to know it would become six weeks before we returned to sunny South Africa again? And how could we have guessed it would become eight weeks as we are now trapped in a 14-day quarantine in a hotel in Joburg?
I still haven’t seen my ailing hubby and I worry. I’m in my third day of quarantine and although I speak to him daily, I know anxiety is taking a toll on his health. Ella worries too: she runs a biltong business and needs to be in charge. But all we can do is stare at each other and pace the 6mx3m “jail” we are sharing.
Strictly no leaving your rooms, we were told as we were sprayed down to the soles of our shoes when booking in. Food is delivered to the door; the only human contact we have is with the medic testing us daily; no balcony to escape to and, when my friend asked over the phone, “sadly no minibar, either”.
But back to Down Under: us girls landed exactly one day before Sydney announced a severe quarantine for travellers. Phew, escaped that one, I thought. But then came SA’s lockdown from 26 March. We were booked to return on 4 April, but decided to cut our trip short. Rush to the airport and we got a return trip for 27 March, a day after SA’s lockdown started. Phew again. Phew indeed: the SA government blocked all return flights. We were stuck Down Under. Yes, it’s wonderful to spend extra time with my daughter, but I was anxious about work: would I even have a job after all this?
Off to the high commission and lo and behold we got on a “mercy flight”. “Just be ready to take off by 27 April – and that will be three times what you paid for your original flight, thank you very much.” Beggars can’t be choosers, I guess, so we paid up.
On Tuesday we boarded the Qantas plane with about 200 other lost souls stuck Down Under – and that should’ve prepared me for my current “jail”. On board we got food – only food; no pillows, no blankets, no coffee … just water.
But I count my blessings. I’m back on home soil – and at least the sun shines …