Language of a Pandemic : Part 2 , June 2020
Two and a half months into lockdown what are the words and the phrases that surround us on television, the radio, social media and a multiplicity of websites?
I first wrote about this in mid April 2020. So here is an update.
Here is my selection :-
Covid 19, the novel coronavirus, is the evil heart of our troubles.
As a result we have :-
Shops, restaurants, bars and cinemas , all closed. Temporarily ?
Sanitiser, gel and plain old soap as the weapons against disease.
The R number, the rate at which infection spreads.
It has to be below one we are told.
Cases of coronavirus registered, numbers hospitalised ,
deaths recorded, facts , figures and statistics updated.
The daily government briefing. Analysis by scientists .nd questions.
Questions from press and public.
Slogans , sound bites and catch phrases.
Stay alert, protect the NHS , save lives.
Shielding the vulnerable and those most at risk.
Testing, results, antibodies , resistance, immunity.
Vaccinations being developed , trials and results.
Test, track and trace. Download the ap one day.
Find the contacts of those infected.
Quarantine and self isolation if in contact with the virus.
Visitors from abroad also.
Furlough, an old military term with a new meaning.
Government paid leave for many.
Travel bans, stay local. England going its own way.
The 1918 pandemic, Spanish flu ,remembered again.
Easing of the lockdown, new rules and regulations,
Ignoring, flouting , disobeying the measures.
Or following them precisely.
Silly scenes of overcrowded beaches in the record heat of May.
Social distancing. Signs and pavement markings.
One way systems, orderly queuing two metres apart.
Screens in supermarkets, masks and gloves .
No dentists, no doctors , except in emergency.
Covid wards coping with unprecedented numbers.
Oxygen and ventilators, more masks, gowns and visors.
Collectively known as PPE.
Science fiction scenarios in Intensive Care.
Untimely deaths but also unexpected survival for some.
Clap for carers, volunteer if you can, join neighbourhood groups.
How to ease the lockdown ?
Will life ever be the same again?
The new unknown reality. Dreams put on hold.
Take each day as it comes.
Families apart, no hugs or touching.
On the plus side funny videos and jokes.
More time to think, to read , to walk the dog, to take stock.
Enjoy what we have while we have it.
We have been bombarded with these words. I have written a tsunami of them. Sometimes , though ,you just have to switch off and make the world go away for a while.
I first wrote about this in mid April 2020. So here is an update.
Covid 19, the novel coronavirus, is the evil heart of our troubles.
As a result we have :-
Shops, restaurants, bars and cinemas , all closed. Temporarily ?
Sanitiser, gel and plain old soap as the weapons against disease.
The R number, the rate at which infection spreads.
It has to be below one we are told.
Cases of coronavirus registered, numbers hospitalised ,
deaths recorded, facts , figures and statistics updated.
The daily government briefing. Analysis by scientists .nd questions.
Questions from press and public.
Slogans , sound bites and catch phrases.
Stay alert, protect the NHS , save lives.
Shielding the vulnerable and those most at risk.
Testing, results, antibodies , resistance, immunity.
Vaccinations being developed , trials and results.
Test, track and trace. Download the ap one day.
Find the contacts of those infected.
Quarantine and self isolation if in contact with the virus.
Visitors from abroad also.
Furlough, an old military term with a new meaning.
Government paid leave for many.
Travel bans, stay local. England going its own way.
The 1918 pandemic, Spanish flu ,remembered again.
Easing of the lockdown, new rules and regulations,
Ignoring, flouting , disobeying the measures.
Or following them precisely.
Silly scenes of overcrowded beaches in the record heat of May.
Social distancing. Signs and pavement markings.
One way systems, orderly queuing two metres apart.
 |
| Social Distancing |
Screens in supermarkets, masks and gloves .
No dentists, no doctors , except in emergency.
Covid wards coping with unprecedented numbers.
Oxygen and ventilators, more masks, gowns and visors.
Collectively known as PPE.
Science fiction scenarios in Intensive Care.
Untimely deaths but also unexpected survival for some.
Clap for carers, volunteer if you can, join neighbourhood groups.
How to ease the lockdown ?
Will life ever be the same again?
The new unknown reality. Dreams put on hold.
Take each day as it comes.
Families apart, no hugs or touching.
On the plus side funny videos and jokes.
More time to think, to read , to walk the dog, to take stock.
Enjoy what we have while we have it.
We have been bombarded with these words. I have written a tsunami of them. Sometimes , though ,you just have to switch off and make the world go away for a while.
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