There was a minute silence at 11.00am on 28th April 2020 in recognition of the NHS staff and key workers who have sadly lost their lives to Covid-19.

Panorama last night found that people in healthcare jobs were forced to put their lives at risk because of insufficient PPE. Our country has not built up, or procured, sufficient stock of the right type of equipment, and healthcare and social care workers are being asked to make do with what is available There have been 100 lives lost so far. The Panorama Reporter asked how many lives have been lost because of the shortage of PPE?

Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran’s started a petition back in March asking for compensation for families of NHS staff who die from Covid-19. The petition was signed by 60 MPs. Yesterday, it was an announced that this has had some success. Families will now receive £60K. Layla Moran called this a good start and says more needs to be done to bring them into line with armed forces personnel who die in active service.

The video shows the minute’s silence looking out onto a rainy West St Helen Street. I expect there was something more significant at Abingdon Community Hospital. They will know people who lost their lives. It was announced on April 19th that Margaret Tapley, from Witney Community Hospital, lost her life to Covid-19.

The NHS pictures come from
* Penlon Place, Abingdon (Penlon make Ventilators and so provide an important part of NHS equipment to fight Covid-19);
* Steventon Road, Drayton
* The Abbey Fish Ponds Nature Reserve on Radley Road, Abingdon.

With emptier roads, and people wanting to be well spaced out on the pavements, it is far more common for people to run or walk in the road. Cyclists are also more likely to go in the road where there is a cycleway, even if it is against another set of rules – The Highway Code.

At the end of Wilsham Road there is a warning sign about pedestrians.

M sent an email which prompted this post. He said ‘I have had a lot of incidents when I have had to move aside because someone else refused to, or runners and cyclists rush past me with no attempt to keep 2 metres away. They are more dangerous than walkers as their breath is stronger, and I read that one should immediately step aside if caught in the slipstream of one who has just gone past.’

He also mentions a cyclist on the pavement that forced him as a pedestrian into the road. He shouted after the cyclist and they scowled back.

Somebody I know, who is strict about abiding by the rules, says she was incensed when her neighbour had visitors round for a noisy Bar-B-Q.

At Tesco with the new direction arrows, most people follow the arrows. My wife pointed the arrows out to another shopper who was consistently going against the suggested route.

Whereas a lot of people abide by the rules about distancing, others appear to carry on much as before.  They may have other things on their mind (such as a mobile phone). They may not want to be told how to behave.

Maybe a psychologist will do a study called ‘The Psychology of Social Distancing.’

Diana sent this rainbow of colour which made her smile when taking her walk down the Radley Road yesterday.

Julian updated me on the Abingdon Corona Virus response group to be found on Facebook. Here are some of the the actions put in place:
* An emergency response team for the council.
* A cross-town team taking on deliveries for the co-op and the foodbank, plus providing ‘overflow’ capacity for ‘regular’ requests
* They have 3 area reps and 29 neighbourhood coordinators and 500 active volunteers
* They postcarded nearly 17,000 houses
* They are working with AbiMeds

There are now got 550 hi-viz jackets for all Street Coordinators to wear, so that they are instantly recognisable as being part of the group. Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council funded those and also 20 litres of hand sanitizer and 190 small bottles. S.E. Workwear helped supply the jackets.

Julian says ‘All of this is a great town effort, from people, many of who have never met, who are embracing their community and helping out anyone who is vulnerable in these challenging times.‘ He gives special mention to Sarah ‘Sez’ Anthony,  who has instigated and set up the group.

The thoughts for the day (top right) are not happening over the weekend. I did spot this bible verse on our walk today down Spring Road.