It’s not ‘Blitz spirit’ to ignore coronavirus rules - it’s idiotic
John Barron as CJ in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin Photo: YouTube - Credit: Archant
A crisis either brings out the best or the worst in people.
The vast majority of us are following Government and medical advice to combat coronavirus, and many are finding ways to help others.
In a societal structure that is increasingly fractured, this is a reminder of the power of togetherness.
There is, though, a minority of people who either refuse to acknowledge the seriousness of the pandemic - or choose to ignore it.
Like CJ from The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, they say: “I didn’t get where I am today by obeying sensible advice.”
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We’ve all heard people invoking the “Blitz spirit”, accompanied by a promise not to be put off from living normal lives during the coronavirus outbreak.
Stubborn? Stupid? No, downright dangerous.
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This is not the Blitz, and it’s not Dunkirk.
From 1939 to 1945, the enemy could be seen - and the response was to keep the home fires burning (ie lead normal lives where possible) and fight the Germans.
This time, the enemy is invisible - and the response has to be to pause our normal lives and fight the germs.
That is what most of us are doing, and the war against coronavirus must not be prolonged by the few who are blase.
It’d be like being the only resident in a town to leave the blackout blinds up during an air raid - a lethal way to stick two fingers up to Jerry.
Coronavirus will not be cowed by bravado or defiance. It will not shrink away when people invoke the Blitz spirit.
It will, on the other hand, be beaten if EVERYBODY follows the expert advice that is easily accessible.
It means normal life will be disturbed, even devastated, for a while. Social events, nights out, sport, work, pretty much everything will stop or be downsized.
We’ve all just got to suck it up.
The alternative is to carry on regardless, and potentially contribute to the serious illness or death of vulnerable people.
I have members of my family who fall into the “vulnerable” categories, for reasons including underlying health conditions, age, and pregnancy.
All of their lives are precious to me, and they deserve to know that everybody is doing all that they can to stop the coronavirus crisis from becoming a catastrophe.
So if you think you’re too good to obey these new rules, think again.
It’s not do or die, it could well be do AND die.
