Lockdown Diaries: Don’t drop the Covid-ball – I need to get out

The coronavirus is not my biggest enemy. Depression is.

Staying at home all day, every day can get a man down – especially if you, like me, stay alone.

It’s the silence that gets you. Not that there is no noise around me: the TV is blaring all the time. The thing, you see, is I don’t really watch TV.

My drug of choice is National Geographic Wild – but also only if there is a programme about big cats.

I never thought I’d say this, but thank God for my work… It keeps me on my toes and forces me to actually watch the news of the day, like on Sunday, when President Cyril Ramaphosa relaxed the lockdown level from 4 to 3.

I would’ve known on Monday, I’m sure, but it was heartening to hear that most people can now get back to work.

Maybe that’s part of my depression: we have been talking about job losses for almost three months now.

I know people who are going through this hardship, so it’s a relief to know at least some part of the economy is being opened.

Yes, the risk of infection is high, but as the president says: “It is now in your hands.” And as citizens we need to play our part, literally washing our hands, rather than figuratively taking hands, to fight this virus.

Ramaphosa was bold in throwing the Covid-19 ball back at us, but I firmly believe, as the government, they have done their best to educate us about this virus and have put the right measures and guidelines in place for us to follow.

Being a non-smoker, I felt as outraged as the smokers about the continued ban on tobacco products. And not being a boozer – I still have a bottle of cognac and some wine in my cupboard – I rejoiced with the nation at the lifting of the alcohol ban.

Public gatherings are still a no-no; social distancing is still a must, as is washing your hands, but at least you can now take a walk in the park and some kids can go back to school.

But the roads are going to get busy again as people return to work and do the school run.

So, to all those people looking for the much-needed fresh air of Level 3, I have one request: don’t break the lockdown rules.

I feel the government is rewarding our “good behaviour” with Level 3. Please don’t drop the Covid-19 ball. I need to get out…

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