Lockdown is the perfect time to stock up on chocs
JULIET SHORT, operations and development manager of Connex Community Support comments on the latest coronavirus measures and how they affect the voluntary sector
CHOCOLATE sales are up by £50 million due to the pandemic.
This is not solely our doing at Connex but with a second national lockdown imminent we will be supporting those in need while filling our chocolate coffers wherever we can!
It’s been a very chocolate and Covid-19 dominated fortnight in my household.
I should probably explain before my neighbours and colleagues either run for the hills or arrive with more ‘emergency’ chocolate…
Like millions of others, I am signed up to several SARSCOV-2 research projects which monitor the symptoms and spread of Covid-19 across the country through analysis of individual health reports or through regular testing.
Through the Office of National Statistics (ONS) test, I will eventually be tested 16 times over the course of 12 months.
Through the ZOE project I report on my health every day.
On Saturday, after a few days of feeling poorly but not, I should emphasise with symptoms associated with Covid-19, the ZOE project asked me to book a test.
The garage simultaneously rang to postpone my MOT test for my ailing car explaining that they needed to close for a fortnight due to staff testing positive. I was plunged into a small whirlpool of coronavirus during which time I re-examined all my recent interactions with people for potential infection points.
The wonderfully helpful gentleman from RAC who repaired my car without a mask? The lady with the fluffy dog? The super supermarket delivery gentleman?
I spent five days mithering lightly from my sick bed – receiving one faulty home test in between – before getting an acknowledgement ment that my test was indeed ed negative. Phew.
As incident ent rates have e i ncreased here, it was conceivable that my very limited and sociallydistanced exposure to o people may ay have put me e or someone else lse in my household, ld i in contact t t with someone who was an asymptomatic carrier.
We have to accept the virus is indeed here and next door.
The impact of a lockdown will be devastating to many, but we have sadly reached the point where there seem to be no alternatives.
We all need to be able to access hospital appointments and emergency care.
Hopefully another lockdown will enable this to happen.
We continue to work closely alongside other charities as part of the Community Resilience Unit (01629 535091) which remains open for referrals for anyone in the Dales who needs help because of practical, financial, social or health-related reasons relating to Covid-19.
This will not be in an indefinite cycle of lockdowns and regional lockdowns and there is help out there.
We aren’t revisiting late March: we have all learnt a lot about this disease and the vaccination trials are looking very positive.
Here at Connex, our volunteer drivers are on hand to take people free-of-charge for their flu injections thanks to funding from Derbyshire County Council.
Please don don’t hesitate to co contact us: the flu injection rema remains of pa paramount im importance th this year.
We will of course continue to take passengers to medical appointmen ments, support pe people with shopping deliveries and our b befrienders fi will continue to support people remotely.
This week is national Befriending Week, I wasn’t sure whether this felt ironic or apt, whether to laugh or cry.
However, I’m going with the latter – we all need to be friends to one another throughout this week and the coming months, with or without chocolate.
Thank you to our amazing befriending volunteers who continue to give so much: an estimated 15,000 hours of quality time last year.
If you can help us or we might help you or someone you know, please don’t hesitate to call us.
The number is 01335 348600.
This will not be in an indefinite cycle of lockdowns and regional lockdowns and there is help out there.