I didn't start noting headlines until mid March 2020, but later I found a couple of noteworthy items elsewhere. The point was: we really didn't realise what was about to hit us.
Jan 30 2020: With 7,818 confirmed cases across 19 countries, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Jan 31 2020: First two Covid cases in UK confirmed.
Feb 10 2020: Secretary of State given powers to order persons infected with covid to isolate. (SI2020/129)
Feb 25 2020: Travellers from northern Italy told to self-isolate on return,
Feb 28 2020: In my diary "Coronavirus getting serious"
Mar 5 2020: In diary "Last Picts session" (U3AC course in situ - courses got abandoned soon after).
Mar 6: First UK death.
Mar 9 2020: An American friend emails me about visiting Cambridge in May.
Mar 10 2020: In my diary "Health minister with coronavirus!"
10-13 March 2020: Cheltenham Festival (horse racing) goes ahead.
11 March 2020: WHO declares pandemic.
12 March 2020: Thu Shares in US and UK suffer worst day since 1987.
In my diary "Coronavirus starting to get serious. Boris does a Churchillian speech about lots of people dying! Go on a bogroll hunt & eventually find Asda has restocked so get some OK. But rice, pasta & bread flour all gone!" [Expanation: There was a scare story on TV about bogroll disappearing in Australia. I must point out that we really had run out of bogroll, so we were NOT panic buying! But note that people were stocking up on starch products that would keep - very sensible! And bread flour... Who bakes bread?]
13 March 2020 (Fri): Local elections postponed for a year
Cambridge Global Catastrophic Risk conference cancelled (!)
Elite football suspended in England. {This was done by the football organisations, NOT the government.}
Discussion of UK v everyone else (UK keeping schools etc open - "We're all going to get it!")
Trump declares National Emergency "Two very big words".
WHO says Europe now centre of epidemic
In my diary "Trump's decided to take Cornavirus seriously. My American friend having trouble with cancelling her flat in Britain. I stockpile a little! Nuts and dried fruit from Holland & Barret. Also get Easter Egg for Keith (my husband), plus bread flour from Waitrose."
14 March 2020 (Sat): London Marathon postponed
Cambridge Science Festival cancelled
All travel to US from EU free travel area forbidden (but not for US citizens. And not UK or Ireland) So EU = Iran = China
Jet2 flights to Spain turn round in mid-air over virus fears - Spain in lock down - now 2nd worst after Italy
China now has more cases of incomers rather than residents
UK deaths double to 21 - all in at risk categories. Confirmed cases now 1,140, up from 798 on Friday.
Boxing and Badmington seems to be the only sport continuing! Apart from Bath Half Marathon...
Trump adds UK to travel ban.
In diary "Email from neighbour offering to buy food if we have to self-isolate. Good idea so email other neighbours as well as reciprocal deal.
15 March 2020 (Sun): UK government warns that in future they may tell over 70 year olds to isolate for up to 12 weeks, even without symptoms (!!!)
Many countries in Europe in shut-down, Italy, Spain, France, etc.
Plane and train companies want government help or they'll go broke because of falling passenger numbers.
UK deaths 35 (14 new), confirmined cases 1391 (Wikipedia)
Diary "Az with Buddhists & Joye (another Cambridge friend) at York even though no LibDem conference"
16 March 2020 (Mon): Stock market continues to be VERY unhappy. Oil prices drops (one of the reasons)
Primark suspending share dealing (as in trouble)
More deaths (total) outside China - 3241 - than inside - 3208.
Cases outside China - 87,000. Cases inside - 80,860. (Seems to be very few new cases in China).
Scottish government's advice to cancel mass gatherings for more than 500 people comes into effect. (England hasn't done this, yet)
No non-essential travel or contact (UK government advice)
Any symptoms, everyone in house isolation for 14 days (UK government advice).
UK deaths 53 (London 14) UK confirmed cases 1,543 (London 480)
Trump says that there might be a recession(!)
Trump says not to postpone elections "as there is a lot of room in voting places"
Diary "Keith and I go to Botanic Gardens in case we can't later"
17 March 2020 (Tue): Cinemas closing down
Cambridge CAB closed to drop-ins.
OSTED inspections stopping.
Non-urgent ops to be postponed in England
"Infection rates in UK should come down in 2-3 weeks" - medical adviser
UK deaths 67, confirmed cases 1,950
Church of England suspending church services (they were dragging their heels over this)
Boris: "We must act like any war-time government". Lots of dosh to help business - more than financial crash!
18 March 2020 (Wed): Oil $28 a barrel (it was $30 in 2016, and that was a dip)
Glastonbury Festival axed
Cambridge University closed, except online - no exams (Anglia Ruskin already is)
Sainsbury's and Asda limit sales of all food items
Joye is self-isolating because of sore throat and cough (not worried about it! But thems the rules...)
Global cases pass 200,000
Schools to close in Scotland and Wales
UK deaths 104, confirmed cases 2,626 (12 in Cambridgeshire)
Eurovision Song Contest cancelled
US/Canada border to close
BMW and Toyota suspend UK car production, plus other car manufacturers
All Cambridge University museums closed (rush on UL!)
BBC stops filming of dramas like Eastenders. Eastenders cut to 2 a week.
Renters to be protected from eviction.
English schools closed Friday until further notice, except to children of NHS workers and vulnerable children.
Exams not taking place.
Ocado has suspended its online food delivery service until weekend, blaming higher demand than it can meet.
Pound drops to its lowest level aginst dollar since 1985 ($1.15). Stock market still negative
Diary "Keith went for a bike ride instead of conservating. Joye is self-isolating (sore throat & cough) so we get her some shopping. Pound nearly parity with dollar, stock markets still falling."
19 March 2020 (Thu): Up to 40 stations on the London Underground network are to be shut.
EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier tests positive for virus.
Asian countries see second wave of infections from people returning home (China had no new internal cases yesterday)
UK interest rates slashed again in emergency move to 0.1%
UK deaths 144, UK confirmed cases 3,269 (Cambridgeshire 14)
Green bin collection suspended
Boris says 12 weeks to turn the tide
Questions about school closures
Italy overtakes China in total deaths
Government won't close pubs etc as long as people don't use them...
Diary "Cases & deaths carry on rising. Asda has nearly no meat (apart from sausages and bacon and ham) & no potatoes (plus no pasta or rice of course). But there is anti-bacterial WU Liquid! Writing to lots of people" (My memories say that tomato paste and beans ran out as well.)
The following was a note to myself:
Important to tell Az when she comes back from the Buddhist retreat:
No non-essential travel.
Train companies (and London Underground) changing schedule due to coronavirus - check schedules
Self isolate if show symptoms (fever, new dry cough) for 14 days + household
Everybody in the UK has been asked to stop non-essential contact with other people and avoid all unnecessary travel. This is known as social distancing. (No it isn't! Oct 2020)
Local elections cancelled. (So is a lot else!)
Cambridge CAB closed to drop-ins {She's a volunteer at CAB.]
20 March 2020 (Fri): Social distancing would be needed for "at least half of the year" to stop intensive care units being overwhelmed
Coronavirus: Church of England weddings limited to five people (presumably not to each other!)
28 deaths recorded in the West Midlands
Cafes, pubs and restaurants must close from Friday night, except for take-away food
All nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres have also been asked to close "as soon as they reasonably can".
Email from Az: "After a week of being cut off from all outside news we have been sent home early from the retreat due to the virus situation. So I am somewhat bemused. It seems like the world is going into lockdown and all manner of things have been cancelled. Is all well with you? Az
Diary "Az returns - retreat breaks up early & she gets a lift back. She is very bemused! But comes round in evening & we chat. Last Leg (TV) has no audience which is a bit bizarre. Boris has closed down all pubs, restaurants."
21 March 2020 (Sat): 1 in 5 Americans ordered to stay at home, Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois, California, New York
16 confirmed cases in Cambridgeshire
Everyone told to shop sensibly
Diary "Joye comes round for a chat. She's found some toilet roll! Gives us one (we'd given her one). Chat with Giles (our son in Toronto). Toronto shops not having meat so I suggest other proteins"
22 March 2020 (Sun 17): cases in Cambridgeshire
Global cases pass 300,000, more than 13,000 deaths around the world
Vulnerable at home for 12 weeks
Parks closing (including Botanic garden!)
Germany bans groups of more than 2
Diary "Joye round to us for supper"
23 March 2020 (Mon): All new jury trials in England and Wales have been halted
South Korea reports lowest number of new cases in weeks
Canada and Australia say they will not send teams to the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Packed undergroup trains make social distancing impossible (less trains!)
At 8.30pm, Boris says - everyone except essential workers, not to leave their homes, enforced by police. (First lockdown announced)
Only allowed out for food/medical shopping, plus one piece of exercise. No visiting friends.
24 March 2020 (Tue): Olympics postponed
Wuhan - the city where the virus emerged - is to partially lift its lockdown next month
Confirmed cases approach 400,000, deaths near 17,000, more than 100,000 recoveries
Temporary hospital will be set up in London with military help
India lock down
Stock markets up. (What?)
Lockdown 1
* "Stay at home: Protect the NHS: Save Lives".
* Only go outside for food, health reasons or essential work
* Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people
* Wash your hands as soon as you get home
* Do not meet others, even friends or family.
(Coronavirus Act; SI2020/350)
25 March 2020 (Wed): Prince Charles gets the virus.
A quarter of the world's population is now living under some form of lockdown
Parliament is closing
Spain's death toll has surpassed the official figure from China, becoming the second highest in the world (3,434)
Abbey Road crossing repainted as no-one on it!
Off licences allowed to remain open as essential!
Diary "Bike ride for exercise - down Mill Road with some shopping - 1 kg mince (yippee!) from butcher & rice & tinned beans & tom paste from Asian supermarket (double yippee!) plus Turksih Delight (?) {We normally have Turksih Delight at Christmas. But there was a tendency to get treats, as everyone was so rattled.]
26 March 2020 (Thu): Deaths in Spain more than 4,000
US cases near 70,000, with at least 1,050 deaths
Although infections are slowing in Italy, deaths are rising in the poorer south
NYC removes basketball hoops to curb spread
Some 3.3m Americans filed jobless claims last week - more than four times the previous record
Fines for people grouping illegally, up to £960
UK government unveils aid for self-employed
Diary "US corona figures now worse in the world. Trump says shows how much they were testing..."
27 March 2020 (Fri): Boris has tested positive - mild symptoms (Prince Charles already has it) - Matt Hancock has it as well
US has more cases than China (but not deaths)
Stay local to exercise, says government
US Congress passes huge financial stimulus package
Diary "Boris has got coronavirus so has Matt Hancock, & Chief medical Officer" (Whitty)
28 March 2020 (Sat): Spain's coronavirus death toll rose by 832 cases overnight to 5,690 - new high
Wuhan, where pandemic began has, partially re-opened after two months of isolation
South Korea says for the first time it has more people who have recovered than are infected
Cases around the world has now surpassed 600,000
In Europe,number of deaths has surpassed 20,000
29 March 2020 (Sun): Boris Johnson has warned the coronavirus crisis will get worse before it gets better, in a letter being sent to every UK household
Michael Gove says The lockdown will be in place for a “significant period” and could last longer if people do not stick to the rules
Diary "No-one to supper of course (lockdown)"
31 March 2020 (Tue): Aldi, Morrisons and Waitrose lift some restrictions
Health Secretary Matt Hancock 'on the mend' after contracting Covid-19
There have been more than 800,000 cases worldwide, with 38,000 dead; 170,000 have recovered
UK health officials says the nationwide stay at home advice is "making a difference"
The World Bank says "significant economic pain seems unavoidable" in the Asia Pacific region
American Airlines to apply for $12bn (£9.7bn) in government aid
US death toll - 3,415 - now larger than China's
US Navy captain pleads for help over outbreak on aircraft carrier
Diary "Keith's discovered (from Joye) central Sainsburys still works so is using that. BIG queues in Asda (because of social distancing)"
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© Jo Edkins 2024