Highest daily COVID-19 stats in South Africa (7Jan21)

The latest update on daily COVID-19 statistics in South Africa shows an increase of 21,832 positive cases and 844 deaths!!! I can't even begin to express how I feel - I have a heavy heart - a deep, deep sadness. Hospitals are so full of COVID patients, that they're postponing non-urgent admissions. All I know is we have to move to a stricter lockdown level, as a matter of urgency, in order to stop the alarming rate of infection. This is the highest ever set of daily figures, since COVID hit our shores, in March 2020. I think that the only reasons the government has delayed the inevitable are that it was the festive season (and there's sentimentality around Christmas and families being together, which includes travelling between provinces and to neighbouring countries) and that the economy had taken such a hit, during the first wave, that they were giving companies more time to try to recover, before re-imposing a higher level of lockdown. I seriously hope the latest statistics show that this alarming loss of life merits Level 5 lockdown. I am painfully aware that it could mean further job losses, and that very few people who are mere employees are safe - including me. 

My daughter and I were doing diaries, earlier, where we share our plans for the next week or two and record the details in our respective diaries. At this stage, I'm still the only driver, we have only one car, so I'm always involved in her trips outside of the house. With my job starting up again in 4 days and my daughter due to start her final year at college about two weeks later, I can't help wondering what we're really going to be facing, this year. So much uncertainty.

I was appalled at what happened in the US, yesterday - pro-Trump protesters stormed Capitol Hill, entering the building and causing havoc, as they tried to stop the final signing of the acceptance of Joe Biden as the new President. Four deaths resulted. Fortunately, the politicians involved got together and signed the document at a subsequent sitting, but what happened last night surely has to be the all-time low of Trump's presidency. Consistently inappropriate to the end, in his televised address to the protesters, he gave oxygen to the fake news that there had been huge irregularities in the recent elections and that he had in fact been cheated out of a landslide victory. Instead of admonishing them sternly and letting them know they'd broken the law, he told them that he loved them and that they were special. At least we agree on that - they are, indeed, special.  

I think I'll stick to playing my guitar and crocheting blankets.