Face it, the second wave’s on the way
Life with cancer in a pandemic
THE sigh of relief from many thousands of vulnerable people at most risk from Covid-19 to the relaxation of extreme shielding was unconvincing and short-lived.
Our nation teetered towards a return to some normalisation on the basis of very wobbly evidence that we had all done enough to soon join the “free from” countries around the world.
The reality, however, is that in countries that have been successful in achieving “Covid-free” status the governments there have been organised and systematic – and the population has played its part in accepting unpalatable rules with widespread determination and unity.
People have accepted their bad-tasting medicine while too many here have refused to accept anything that isn’t sugar-coated.
Just look at how many spend their time challenging common-sense rules on wearing masks and focusing their energy on trying to get round public-health regulations.
The problem here, it seems, is that in recent months we only convinced ourselves that we were gaining the upper hand when, in fact, the only reason hospital admissions and death rates plummeted was because those most at risk were hiding away in isolation.
Last week, I got brilliant news from my oncology team that my treatment was holding my cancer at bay for the time being – thousands like me are thankful to modern medicine for keeping us alive today.
But at the front of our minds is the knowledge that Covid-19 will be the end of us if we are unfortunate enough to catch it.
That dreaded second wave of Covid-19 has already reared its ugly head and threatens to be even more impactful than the first wave – and that’s terrifying for both the older population and for those hundreds of thousands of younger people who suffer serious health conditions.
It’s also a very scary prospect for those businesses that will be forced to close their doors again when an outbreak hits.
This time some of these businesses – and all the jobs they provide – could be closing down for the last time.
I think I can speak on behalf of everyone – young and old – who has cancer, heart disease or myriad other life-threatening conditions that put us at the highest risk of death from coronavirus when I say this is a very scary time for us and our families.
Headlines and photographs of people wearing face masks over their eyes instead of their nose and mouth on a plane fill us with dread as do news reports of protesters shouting about their right to ignore public-health protection guidance.
Desperately ill children and their terrified parents, the very frail and elderly, and all those with life-threatening conditions – we have a right to expect respect.
Ally McLaws is managing director of the McLaws Consultancy, specialist in business marketing and reputation management. All back copies of this column are available at: www.mclawsconsultancy.com