COVID-19

The chicken section of our local Lidl this evening.

The Covid-19 virus which originated in a strange animal market in China and has now spread all over the world might be the most important event of my life.

M and I have been to our local supermarket this evening - there were clear signs of panic buying - the only time we've ever seen anything like it is Christmas Eve.

It is quite extraordinary how in the space of a few weeks the virus has caused so much anxiety and fear. What's even more serious is the way it's trashed the economy. For example, the multinational that employs me had a peak share price of 157.29 on the 19th of February. Today the shares were trading at 112 exactly, a drop of nearly 29% in under a month.

People's investment portfolios and pension funds have been hit hard; the ever-rubbish FTSE 100 is down to levels last seen in 2009, just after the financial crisis.

There's also been a worrying degree of scepticism in the government and its scientific advisers. Personally I'm happy with Britain's strategy of 'flattening the curve' and sticking rigidly to the plan. Just because other countries have pressed the CLOSE EVERYTHING button, doesn't mean we have to follow suit.

Nor am I surprised that Italy, a lovely beautiful chaotic disorganised country, had a massive outbreak of the disease that seemed to go undetected for several weeks. 

As a chronic asthmatic I have to be careful myself, but age is on my side, and the modern steroids are brilliant at reducing inflammation in the lungs. More of a worry are my ageing parents, both well over 80 years old. Boris Johnson has just been on the telly asking anyone with the symptoms to isolate themselves for 14 days. Healthy people have to stop non-essential travel and work from home when necessary.

This is dreary as I hate working from home, but at least I have the choice.