Day 6 of UK Coronavirus lockdown

The UK has been on lockdown since last Monday. People seem to have slowly got used to things. I thought it might in interesting to redeploy my chicken blog to capture thoughts and experiences as we pass through this extraordinary period in history.

The guidelines are to stay at home, emerging only to buy food, for one exercise per day or to go to work if you are unable to work at home. As the week has gone by, shops have introduced measures - distancing using black and yellow tape on the floor, limiting the number of shoppers able to go in at any one time. Yesterday we went out to Tesco in Kingston Centre for the first time since last Saturday before the restrictions had been imposed. Last week, there had been huge panic buying with the shelves first cleared of loo roll and hand sanitiser, then more things such as pasta, rice, tinned tomatos, baked beans, everything from the freezer section. It had got quite worrying, but we figured that fresh food still seemed to be available so we wouldn't starve, so we didn't panic buy.

Yesterday at Tesco things were very different. Very calm. There were blue plastic gloves to pick up as you joined the back of the queue. There was tape on the ground to keep the queuing people 2m apart. As you approached the store, a lady cleaned the handle of the trolley and you were only allowed in if you were wearing blue gloves. Once inside the shopping experience was very calm. There was lots of produce on the shelves, but still no loo paper. I think to get loo paper, you'd need to go at 10am. Shops are limiting the 9am to 10am slot for the vulnerable and health workers.

I'm sat here now, at 4pm, watching the daily coronavirus update on TV. This feels very much like those films of families during the 2nd world war, gathered around their wireless radios. The Govt are trying to put financial support systems in place very fast to help people and businesses.

Locally, many of our local businesses are trying to diversify. The restaurants are doing meal delivery. Tonight we plan to have a take-out curry and watch a movie. We wandered down to the village and went into the Nonna's pop up store. Lots of eggs (currently in short supply). Lovely Italian restaurant. Hope it keeps going. They were clearly selling italian stuff that they had to make meals out of - big tins of tomatos etc, but had also sourced cleaning products and other useful things. At £5.50 per teeny slice, I thought the chocolate brownies were rather expensive - I guess they were made in house and that was the price you'd pay if you bought them for pudding at the restaurant.

Spending more time at home has its upside. I've planted lots of vegetable seeds and am spending lots more time with my chickens. I've made a few videos which I plan to upload to the blog. The chickens are becoming super super friendly - but are hardly laying any eggs! You'd think having chickens during a time of egg shortage would give me an advantage!  Lazy little creatures.

The scary thing is that each day we get an update on how many people have died of the virus. Over 1000 today with the biggest daily increase so far. The prime minister tested positive yesterday after having symptoms. The chief medical officer as well, and the health minister. Hope they have it mildly as they are criticial to us getting through this.