Shielded': A Diary of the Pandemic 2020-2023

Roger Davidson

Summary

The diary provides a wide-ranging commentary on one of the most life-changing events in modern history. From the first lockdown in March 2020 through to the Covid-19 Inquiries of 2023 it reflects on the social politics shaping the response of government to the pandemic. Throughout, it juxtaposes the everyday lived experience and coping strategies of a 'shielded' member of the community with the competing agendas of Whitehall, Westminster, and Holyrood in their tortuous, sometimes comedic and often egregious efforts to contain the virus.
Part 1 of the diary captures the initial crisis posed by the belated imposition of lock-down, the critical lack of personal protection equipment and of effective testing and contact tracing procedures. It reflects on the shifting role of scientific and medical expertise within the policy-making process and the breakdown in political and public consensus over the timing and content of an 'exit' strategy from lock-down in the autumn of 2020 in the face of a second wave of the pandemic.
In Part 2 the focus in the early months of 2021 is on the development of the first vaccines and the medico-political issues surrounding their production and distribution. Thereafter, the diary reflects the continuing efforts of the NHS to cope with new variants of Covid-19 and the re-emergence in government discourse of a 'herd immunity' approach to managing the pandemic. The politics of Brexit and IndyRef2 are seen increasingly to marginalise the pandemic in the media.
Parts 3 and 4 record the growing acceptance in 2022 that society would in the future have to live with the virus and that legal restrictions on movement would be replaced by individual risk assessment. The diary focuses on the gradual phasing out of 'test and trace' and 'shielded' status. It also charts the further normalization of the presence of Covid-19 and its variants. The process of investigating the conduct of the Government during the pandemic and especially Partygate and the cronyism in the awarding of contracts, increasingly occupies the entries as does the failure to clearly identify the processes and procedures that are needed when the existential threat of the next pandemic confronts us.

Available since: 09/19/2024.

Print length: 274 pages.

Other books that might interest you

How to Get Unstuck and Live Your...

Clement Harrison

Are you limiting yourself to an unsatisfying career path because of fear? You might regret it. 
Discover:A fun and easy way to find out what careers are suitable for you based on your strengths and temperamentThe critical information you need to know about a possible new career so you don’t end up in the same situation you wanted to get out ofA simple exercise that will help you know yourself more and understand what you find meaningful in a jobInspirational stories of career shifts that show you anything’s possible, even if you’re in your 40s and in a totally unrelated industryWhy you can be a stronger candidate than people with more experience, and how you can build up your knowledge and skills without getting another degreeHow you can explore and get a feel for a new job and its complexities without making a commitment yetA potentially weighty obstacle to your career transition that you need to prepare for and discuss with your familyPractical tips to make your resume stand out to recruiters, even if you are going up against industry veterans  
And much more. 
You’ll never know what’s possible unless you try.  
Find the job you were meant to do, even if it’s worlds away from what you’re doing now.

Show book

The Shortest History of the...

Don Watson

The United States was founded based on the monumental idea that everyone deserves the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet throughout our two hundred and fifty years as an independent country, we have faced many obstacles to these self-evident truths: slavery, wars, economic depressions. Still, the United States is one of the most powerful nations in the world and is a hub for global economics, innovation, and culture. How did a nation, which throughout its history has hardly been united, become one of the biggest global superpowers of the twenty-first century? 
 
Don Watson dissects both the flaws and triumphs of our nation's history in The Shortest History of the United States. He traces moments of liberty and justice, inequity and oppression, to show how a country at war with itself in the 1860s, and the leader of the free world less than a hundred years later, became a nation beset by wild division and turmoil in the twenty-first century. Along the way he highlights the key figures who have fought for our inalienable truths—in politics and at home, on the frontiers and in our cities, in our books and music and on our screens. A sweeping history of a profoundly multicultural country, The Shortest History of the United States shows how our country continues to stand while fighting for unity and justice for all.

Show book

Bridging Divides: Why We Can't...

Orson Trevelyan

Bridging Divides: Why We Can't Agree on What's Right 
⭐⭐ Simplified Audio Guide with Explanations ⭐⭐ 
Are you eager to advance in your career and enhance your knowledge by effectively navigating today’s complex challenges? 
Searching for a thorough guide that equips you with all the essential components to transform challenges into opportunities? 
Your quest ends here! 
This guide acts as your ultimate resource for deepening your understanding, honing your abilities, and participating in practical exercises. With this material, you're set for success. 
Updated for the latest challenges. 
Key features of this enriched guide: 
- In-depth insights about transforming challenges into opportunities 
- Comprehensive explanations that reveal your strengths 
- Effective strategies for preparation and problem-solving 
Our guide stands out with its extensive coverage, which is vital for your success. Concepts are explored in detail, not just skimmed over. 
Please note that this guide is an independent resource and is not affiliated with any official entity. 
Crafted with a straightforward structure and accessible language, our guide ensures smooth transitions between topics. Say farewell to complicated jargon and embrace clear, precise, and technically accurate content. 
So, why wait? Click the BUY NOW button, secure your guide, and embark on your journey to success! 
Transform your insights and turn challenges into golden opportunities with this essential guide!

Show book

Canada Under Siege - How PEI...

Garry Clement, Michel Juneau...

In a chilling tale of soft power, corruption, and covert influence, Canada Under Siege pulls back the curtain on how the Chinese Communist Party quietly turned Prince Edward Island into a strategic forward operating base—right under the noses of Islanders and Ottawa alike.

Drawing from a nearly two-year investigation by veteran intelligence officer and Chief of Asia Pacific (CSIS) Michel Juneau-Katsuya, former RCMP financial crime chief Garry Clement, and publisher Dean Baxendale, this groundbreaking exposé follows the money, the land grabs, the political manipulation, and the elites, captured or compromised.
This is not fiction. With whistleblower testimony, court documents, and explosive first-hand accounts stretching from Charlottetown to Taiwan, this book connects the dots between organized crime, espionage, elite capture, and Beijing’s United Front Work Department.

What emerges is a damning picture of how one of the world’s most authoritarian regimes used immigration loopholes, Buddhist temples, and Anne of Green Gables to anchor its influence in Canada’s Prince Edward Island, the birthplace of Canadian Confederation. With China’s increased belligerence towards taking Taiwan by force, the authors show readers how the infiltration of Buddhist groups is playing a key role in the soft power dynamic in Taiwan and around the world, particularly as it relates to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhism.

Canada Under Siege is more than an exposé, it’s a warning. The threat is no longer at the gates. It’s already here. The time to act is now.

Show book

The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten -...

Julian Baggini

Perfect for gifting to lovers of philosophy or mining intelligent ice-breaker topics for your next party, The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten offers one hundred philosophical puzzles that stimulate thought on a host of moral, social, and personal dilemmas. Taking examples from sources as diverse as Plato and Steven Spielberg, author Julian Baggini presents abstract philosophical issues in concrete terms, suggesting possible solutions while encouraging listeners to draw their own conclusions. 
 
 
 
Lively, clever, and thought-provoking, The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten is a portable feast for the mind that is sure to satisfy any intellectual appetite.

Show book

The Salt Roads - How Fish Made a...

John Goodlad

This is the extraordinary story of how salt fish from Shetland became one of the staple foods of Europe, powered an economic boom, and inspired artists, writers, and musicians. 
 
 
 
It ranges from the wild waters of the North Atlantic, the ice-filled fjords of Greenland and the remote islands of Faroe to the dining tables of London's middle classes, the bacalao restaurants of Spain and the Jewish shtetls of Eastern Europe. 
 
 
 
As well as following the historical thread and exploring how very different cultures were drawn together by the salt fish trade, John Goodlad meets those whose lives revolve around the industry in the twenty-first century and addresses today's pressing themes of sustainability, climate change, and food choices.

Show book