Currently locked down

As of Tuesday 17th March at noon we are under house arrest. Well not exactly, but France has taken a firm approach to try and contain the spread of the virus, before it totally overwhelms the health services.

It seems that the virus is very infectious and being novel, no one has any immunity to it. In most people, it is mild or like flu, but in about 20% of people it is severe, causing pneumonia and, if people are not given medical assistance in the form of assistance with breathing, they may die. To make it worse, you can still be infectious even if you don't have symptoms and then pass it on to others.

So what does that mean for us? We must stay in our homes and not venture out except for essential shopping, going to the pharmacy or doctor, supporting someone vulnerable, or taking brief personal exercise such as a walk, or walking your dogs close to home.  If we have to go out we must take an attestation stating where we are going, and if stopped by the police we have to produce it. Failure to have the piece of paper may result in a fine.What has this actually meant for us so far? To be honest not a big change in our day to day life, which was always a bit antisocial.  We walk the dogs around our field where no one else ever goes, we get on with jobs, we sit on the terrace, I cook dinner.. tomorrow I might venture to the shops. We can't visit friends, all restaurants are closed, no parties or socialising..

We await to see what happens next.