Amazing response

I am astonished and amazed by the response from across the Oban area – and elsewhere – to the coronavirus crisis.

It seems that, despite the seriousness of the emergency, there is still room for humour, as evidenced by the cartoon below. Indeed, it is probably essential that people retain their sense of humour amid the tragedy of so many lives lost and people laid low by the disease.

As well as the humour, which has been markedly pronounced on social media, I have been struck by the fantastic sense of community spirit that has been manifest all over the country.

The good people of Oban have been pulling together magnificently to help each other, with selfless efforts to ensure those most in need do not want for anything.

Among the brilliant ideas was the one in last week’s Oban Times for community alert flags. A green thumbs up poster in your window means everything is fine – or as near as it could be – whereas a red thumbs down flag being displayed lets friends and neighbours know that someone in the property requires assistance.

If you know anyone who could benefit from this, the posters are available to download and print off at home by emailing editor@obantimes. co.uk or on our Facebook page.

Spare a thought, though, for some unlucky souls. A friend of mine, Kenny Harper, is stuck in Thailand because all flights home have been cancelled. Like us here, Kenny tells me all the bars, cafes and restaurants have been closed but, in addition, there is a national 7pm to 7am curfew under which no one is allowed outside at all.

Now, I dare say there are worse places to be trapped, but if you’re going into lockdown you would surely rather be at home.

Still, we’ve proved we are a resilient lot. As I said last week, let’s all stay calm and follow the national guidelines to keep ourselves safe.

What do you think?

Write to me at mlaing@obantimes.co.uk or The Oban Times, Crannog Lane, Oban, PA34 4HB, or call 01631 568021.