By George Care home deaths are heartbreaking
When I heard about the tragic deaths of 11 older people who were displaying symptoms of Covid-19 in Elderslie Care Home it brought everything so close to home.
Firstly, my heart goes out to the families who have lost a loved one due to this horrible virus.
Surely, it must be a wake-up call to us all that this invisible enemy shows no mercy.
Yes, it is one thing to read and listen to government statements saying that Covid-19 is most deadly to those with compromised immune systems and the elderly.
It is another heartbreaking thing to hear of 11 older people from our own community passing.
Eleven families that will be grieving the loss of a loved one.
I remember when my own mum and dad died, the funeral was the time where I could say goodbye. To be able to see how they both had affected people’s lives as their friends came along to see them off.
During these very difficult times families will not have that option as we continue the fight against this virus.
They will not have that opportunity to meet up with family and friends to discuss the life that their loved one lived.
When my own parents died this helped me through the mourning process – although you never get over it.
That is what makes what is happening now so tragic.
Not only have they lost a loved one, they will also not be able to provide a traditional funeral.
This tragedy must focus all of our minds for the ongoing fight we have - as a community - with this unscrupulous killer.
Surely, we must now all take this very seriously and abide by the rules... not only to keep our own families safe but also to ensure we keep our community safe.
I have read in the Express that some locals are still having house parties and that a minority of our community are flaunting the rules.
This cannot continue as they are not only causing themselves potential harm, they are risking others within our community.
The vast majority of Buddies are abiding by the strange, new way of living.
I notice it when I go out and do my shopping for Stacey and I in our local store.
But I have to admit that I struggle with the way the shop has created a one-way system for your trolley as you scoot round the store.
I am a bit chaotic as I go round the shop and, on numerous occasions, find myself having to do a loop in order to go back and get something.
But even here you find somebody deciding to do what they want, even when the store PA system continues to tell us to keep our distance and that there is a one-way system.
Again, the majority do it by the book but some just rush up and down the aisles.
Some may say this is all very low level and perhaps something a local MSP should not be talking about,
I disagree as we all have a very simple job to do in all this.
We need to help our heroes in Scotland’s NHS by staying home, only going out for shopping on when we need to, or getting medicines at a local pharmacy and going for daily local walks or runs for exercise.
Stacey and I have not seen her mum and dad since the shutdown began.
We are all very close and see each other regularly under normal circumstance.
What is important is that we ensure we all live through this to create new memories in the future.
That is what we should all be focusing on.
Once we come out the other side of this life will continue to be challenging as we rebuild our economy.
The important thing is that we are there to face that challenge head on together. Once again, I ask you to stay home, stay safe and look after each other.