Here is the view out of our window in day 2 of the lockdown. The rest of our household stayed in today, working from home, but I was at work doing support work, I got involved doing shopping on behalf of two houses for people who need to stay at home. Both Sainsburys in Didcot and Tesco in Abingdon were fairly well stocked, and not busy so it was not a problem to keep a social distance.

While out and about I was surprised how many other people were out cycling, or walking, as their daily exercise in the sun. It did not feel like a lockdown.

Back home there was a postcard from Emma and a phone number offering to help if we were self isolating. An Abingdon group have tried to cover all of Abingdon with this offer of this important help.

On the news it was said that 405,000 people have signed up in 24 hours to volunteer with the NHS after a recruitment drive to help the vulnerable amid the coronavirus crisis,

Yesterday the UK lockdown began (for those not already self isolating.) It will last at least three weeks. The new rules are that we can leave the house to shop for basic necessities – infrequently as possible. We can go out to take one form of exercise a day – alone or with members of the household. We can also go to work so long as we don’t need to self-isolate (if our job is on the list of allowed work).

It was a lovely sunny day and very quiet for West St Helen Street. This is the view from our upstairs window on the first morning of the lockdown.

South and Vale District Council wanted this message shared:
If you have been shopping for neighbours or family members who are vulnerable, elderly or self-isolating, please continue to do so. 

The government says you are allowed to leave your home to provide care or to help a vulnerable person. Just be careful to follow the usual guidance about washing your hands and keeping a safe distance from others.

 Where possible, it is sensible to leave the shopping on the doorstep for them rather than handing it to them directly.

Here are three pictures from our ‘exercise’ walk in the Abbey Gardens and Meadow.

Pressure is growing for more social isolation after a sunny weekend and Monday. We cannot change the virus and how quickly it transmits but we can control the amount of contact between people who could possibly pass it between themselves.

Abingdon Library closed soon after my Saturday post. The Abbey House is also closed.

Many information desks can still be contacted by phone or email. Volunteers have started a new website called abingdon.help. They are starting to put together lists of how to contact various services and where help may be found.

There is also an email address to try and get volunteers to help people who are socially isolating in Abingdon.

There will be a big shout for the NHS on Thursday to show appreciation for their efforts. With immediate effect from today (Monday 23 March) the Oxford University Trust will not allow any visitors to their hospitals – with a few exceptions.

More non food shops have now closed in Abingdon town centre.

Other shops have reduced their hours. There was a queue outside Savers who were later opening this morning. They had a stack of toilet rolls visible through the door.

The other large queues I saw in town were at Boots, and Santander (the bank). Those queues had more social distancing than the one outside Savers.

The Market was also in town today and had food and flower stalls. Some prices had gone up.

As the first week of schooling at home starts, a lot of school children will now be doing their school work with only telephone contact from teachers – or however different schools find ways to communicate with pupils. There is an initiative to get school children to put up rainbows or other pictures of hope.