23rd March 2020 – Lockdown is ordered in the UK. You must stay at home. Only essential travel is permitted and half an hour exercise a day outside the home.
Many children and parents were quite excited about the prospect of home schooling. We had photographs of individual desks set up in kitchens and lounges, parents with work baskets and snack baskets etc.
Travelling into school this first day was quite scary. The thought that you may catch a deadly virus that you could bring home to your loved ones was terrifying. I had sent messages to staff to leave jewellery at home and prepare for their return with discussions about disrobing and showering immediately. We did not know what was to come and when staff arrived at school they were nervous and worried about what was to come. There were a number in tears and terror was in the air. But, as always the staff pulled together and supported each other. The children were the priority and they prepared to take in those children who needed us the most.
24th March 2020 – Lockdown Partially lifted in China. India announces completes lockdown. In the UK there were 8,077 infected and 433 deaths.
25th March 2020 – Prince Charles tests positive for COVID- 19. On this day I took my first trip to a shop. We needed bread and my mum needed milk. I thought it best to go before work and then I was ‘clean’ and uninfected. I arrived at the shop at 6.55am. It didn’t open until 7am. The staff looked nervous, the shelves were not fully stocked as normal and tape had appeared everywhere on the floor. Thee were two elderly men in the que, both looking quite nervous, everyone kept their distance. It was definitely a new experience.
26th March 2020 – The USA becomes the country hardest hit by the pandemic with more than 80,000 confirmed cases. The UK clap for our NHS workers at 8pm. UK chancellor unveils plans to help self-employed workers.
On my way into work on the 26th my mum had called for me to pick up a few bits that they would not have in the local shop and I wanted to get the staff a treat, to cheer them up. I arrived at 7am at our local supermarket. By this time, the NHS were already been labelled as heroes (which they definitely are) and had been designated their own shopping time between 7am and 8am. This has been advertised as a slot for key workers. So, being a key worker I though t safe to call on my way to work. At the door I was met by an ex-parent and told, nhs staff only. I explained who I was and she said she would have to check with the manager. The manager arrived and read me an email from head office, which clearly stated NHS staff only, they didn’t need to be at work, as long as they had a badge. I was turned away. This was the amount of respect we musted at this point!
27th March 2020 – It was announced that our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and Health secretary, Matt Hancock test positive for COVID – 19.
On this day, we realised that FSM parents were not going to call for their FS meal (as predicted). A local school introduced us to WONDE. This allowed us to give each family a shopping voucher that they could spend in the super markets. We started the long and arduous battle of getting these vouchers! It was a nightmare…
