The COVID-19 Test

I have a long awaited colonoscopy and gastroscopy on Thursday at the West Middlesex hospital. As part of that, I have to have a Covid-19 test today and then stay at home until my appointment on Thursday.

I didn’t have to be at the hospital until 3.30pm but we left the house in good time and arrived at the hospital around 3 o’clock. Kathy came with me. We got coffee.

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I decided I would go into the department early in case I could get seen earlier and that paid off. I got taken straight into a room and had the Covid-19 test. I had heard from some that it was most unpleasant, but actually it wasn’t that bad at all. I had a throat swab first – and that was no worse than a visit to your G when they put a spatula on your tongue to look at your tonsils. The nose part was pretty like having a cotton bud up your nose. It was all over in a minute or two.

We left the hospital and went straight home, although we had to take the 117 to the Treaty Centre so we could connect with a diverted 111; Kingsley Road is currently closed at the junction with London Road due to road works.

When we got home we ate the leftovers that we had from Sunday at the Queen’s Head. I had chicken Tikka and naan bread. I have to eat low fibre stuff today and tomorrow to get ready for the procedure on Thursday.

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We spent the evening indoors before retiring to bed.

My Covid-19 Precautions

My take: If you can, carry on with life. Wear a mask when you are in close quarters with others in a confined space (public transportation, stores). I’ve been lucky, in that I haven’t had to take any time off work.

FFP3 Mask
The Mask

Recently pubs. cafés and restaurants here have re-opened. I don’t go anywhere that’s absolutely heaving – that’s MY choice. I’m not living scared; just a little cautious, and trying to help dial down any risk when I can without hiding away and putting my life on hold.

Have I got the correct balance? I don’t know, but nor does anyone else.

Masking The Issue

There is much discussion and even argument about the wearing of masks during this Covid-19 pandemic.

On one side are those who are convinced they feel safer with everyone, including themselves. wearing a mask. On the other side are those that loudly complain that it is in breach of their freedoms, or constitutional rights.

It seems to me though, that even if wearing a mask helps a little bit, it’s a help. Even if the risk is only reduced slightly it’s still a reduction.

Wearing a mask on the bus.
Riding the bus. Wearing a mask.

The point that I’ve not heard mentioned though is this. If wearing a mask reduces transmission of infectious diseases (even if only slightly) it will not only reduce the spread of Covid-19 but, moving on into the fall and winter, when the colder months allow other diseases to run rampant, it will surely help to reduce the spread of those too.

There are those people that love to quote the deaths caused by influenza in a typical year compared with Covid-19. If more people wear masks more of the time, it follows that we’ll have less deaths from influenza too.

Perhaps though, for some, it’s more important to have that freedom; the freedom to infect others?