COVID

It has been a while since I put a post out there. In fact, it is just over 12 months since I got COVID and had to date the worse 10 months of my life. It all started with my kids. They had fever and felt unwell for approx. 7 days. As any parent knows, it is just a matter of time until you get it. The kids made a full recovery but I didn’t. I got all the symptoms, and I was confined in my bedroom without seeing anyone for 6 weeks. For all these people that do not believe in it, I hope you get it, experience it, recover from it and write about how you changed your mind.

An ambulance came twice to help me breathe and I am grateful to the NHS staff and any key worker. They all deserve a bonus, this is the right way to thank them. Note, I am not for a salary increase when private sectors have been counting their losses in thousands and we have a debt that will have to be paid for many generations to come. But they deserve financial recognition not just few people clapping.

The post COVID symptoms were actually the worst. Extreme tiredness (walking to a bathroom was more challenging than completing a marathon), massive migraines and of course massive chest pains. For a sport enthusiast that I am, it was mentally draining. I have now almost fully recovered, a year later. I ran my first 50km+ in the past 8 weeks and do not feel chest pains or unusual tiredness. But what a journey it has been and I feel lucky to still be able to seeing my kids when so many have passed away.

I have strong views as to whether this Government did a good job or not, but I will say that no Government, no matter where, did a better job than others at any particular time. The conundrum is that I understand people stating, and I agree to some extent, that these lockdowns have cost the economy for many decades to come a lot more than the disease has cost in lives. Afterall, less than 0.1% of the world adult population has died from COVID. You cannot argue either that other individuals will die from other illnesses by not receiving treatment or from economic consequences (and before you become angry at reading this post, think about how many countries outside of Europe do have the welfare system we do have!). But that being said, a life is a life, and we, as humans, should remember that we need to care for one another. Time for everyone to review their priorities and self-reflect.

BREXIT

I was wrong. It went through and it took over 4 years. Have I changed my mind? NEVER. Anyone that voted for it has been conned. The British empire is crumbling. Not sure what will remain of the Union Jack in the next few years. It was all about immigration, and the boomers generation took it all away. Northerners, farmers and fishermen were at the forefront of Brexit, I look forward to hearing from them in 10 years time. I will make my 10 year prediction, immigration will go up, and once the boomers generation has gone, the UK will rejoin the EU (and no, the EU will not crumble, this is pure fantasy from Brexiters). However, I will agree, the EU needs to be reformed and immigration policies reviewed. But better be part of these decisions than sidelined!

These two topics will continue to fuel debates for many years to come and I look forward to these. But it seems to me that the most pressing one now, is how do we protect our planet…until next time, goodbye

Benoit Mercier