Sheep


Sheep socially distancing. (Matt Hooper Photography, Southerness, Dumfries and Galloway June 2019)


I am sure you are all aware of the saying that some people are like sheep, because they all behave in the same way or all behave as they are told, and cannot or will not act independently.

The Covid-19/Coronavirus Crisis has revealed several sides to the character of the British society.

There are the kind and helpful, with many hundreds of community groups established with several thousand volunteers helping their local community get through the crisis. Over 600,000 people registered to volunteer in support of the NHS, an unprecedented effort to support an unprecedented campaign, to defeat an unprecedented public health crisis.

There are the understanding, accepting and the determined among us. We know it is an unprecedented situation and we do not diminish the significance of this disease and its danger to life. We are immensely frustrated, some of us are very upset with the restrictions which are placed on our life, but we know they are for a very important reason. We follow the guidance and restrictions from the Government, but we use common sense.

And then there are two other groups.

Firstly there are the deniers, the type of people who mocked the disease as just being flu, and said it was all an overreaction and nothing to worry about, these people generally are either not following the instruction or are taking advantage of the instruction. On Saturday, I kid you not, I saw a family walk past my flat with a map. The "daily exercise" is supposed to be a walk, cycle or run from your house, and in general as close to your house as possible. You should certainly know where you are going and the duration, although not specified, shouldn't really last any longer than an hour.

These restrictions are in place to protect ALL OF US. That includes you!

Then there are nimby's. That might not be the correct analogy, but these are the type of people which are reporting people to the police for going on their second run of the day.

This is sadly, whilst correct in line with the restrictions, a poor show of community and a complete waste of police time at a time when our emergency services are stretched to the limit. Yes, by the letter of the restrictions you should do one form of exercise once per day, but you should also socially distance, and if you are socially distancing then it really isn't a major issue.

Many of us live in one bed flats, on our own. Many of us go for walks every day and didn't just start because of this crisis and the government restrictions. Many people run every day, and didn't just start because of the restrictions.

So don't be a sheep.

Don't bulk buy the toilet roll so none of us can get any.

Don't go on a polar expedition with your family when it is supposed to be exercise and getting fresh air.

Don't go reporting people to the police in this excruciating time for us all for going for a second run.

If you do these things then you really are a BAAAstard!

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