I’m over the bulk of the worst of COVID symptoms although I’m still coughing and have a runny nose.

I STILL don’t have a sense of smell or taste now over a week and I can’t wait to get this back again. There are also days where lethargy come over me and I feel wiped – exhausted and breathless – without doing much. (Like today as an example. Methinks getting over this will take some time. I’m also still testing positive every day).

Andrew now is in the thick of his symptoms so I’m also a primary contact there.

I haven’t left the house since 9 March and it reminds me of the old pandemic days. Doing these daily RATs, I’m doing them more from curiosity as I consider when the 🦠 virus will finally leave my body.

Looking at all the domino-like tests being collected, it makes me realise how prevalent it is out there.

We have been following the rules in the days of old (2020 rules). I say rules wryly because right now, COVID isn’t mentioned at all in Victoria.

It’s become taboo.

Victorians were the most locked down people in the world. 263 days in fact many of which were consecutive with a tiny bit of respite between lockdowns. Initially what started as the safest state with no COVID cases ended up being a nightmare due to the bumbling state politicians (except Victoria’s who took the hard line) allowing people to cross borders into our state; cruise liners that were infected to port in Sydney then move their people into the community and down south across into Victoria.

Add to that our Federal Government led by inept Scott Morrison hadn’t ordered vaccines and RATS. Personally I thought that what our State Premier back then did was the right thing considering there was NO vaccine, NO RATS, NO way of keeping the population safe UNTIL our Federal Government ordered vaccines.

But by that stage it was too late.

Too many lockdowns, rogue anti-vaxxers too. People were tired of being locked down and given the choice would have risked catching the virus rather than staying inside for another day.

We chose to follow the rules.

Wait it out at home, stay safe, keep distance, have our vaccinations. Do what was required.

It wasn’t because we were “pawns to the government” as others thought. It was because of our civic duty to others who are at risk in the community.

At the same time, we looked around us and saw that it was changing the world – how we act towards each other many times selfishly, without consideration of those who are at health risk and how the politicians put their own interests ahead.

The standard rule now for COVID is you stay at home (if you can) if you show symptoms but you don’t have to. There’s no need to wear a mask either. So it doesn’t stop people from continuing their lives while coughing, sneezing openly in gathering places.

So it’s a balancing act now. Thankfully I had an opportunity to just rest and take it easy and stay away from people. It also gave me the time to read, ponder and clear my diary completely which although annoying (I had booked to go to some FABULOUS events to Wineries, Films, Charity Golf event even a Book Festival in an old regional Victorian town) so none of that happened and only kept on two events later in the week which I’m now also tracking my RATs to see if I’ll need to cancel them.

I don’t know the protocol anymore. If I follow 2020 rules, I should stay home especially as Andrew is also sick with it too. But then again, a couple of people are saying to me that it’s totally fine to be out and about as long as I’m feeling ok or I could just wear a mask if I felt the need to. In fact, they think I’m being pedantic and overly cautious especially as everyone has been through it.

Mmm unsure as it would mortify me if I sneezed on anyone like that guy did in my French class on me which started it all. 🤣