‘Testing the Water’

I wrote back in May about an image I couldn’t get out of my head – a huge wave. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been having the same feeling I experienced back then. A feeling of uncertainty.

It’s hardly surprising and I imagine many readers have felt similarly during the easing of restrictions in the UK. In addition to the – somewhat contradictory – ‘uneasy’ easing, it’s also been a time of rapid change. This is the inspiration behind my ‘Testing the Water’ cartoon.

Now, many people are aware of the importance of testing at the moment. Testing in the sense of checking for Covid-19. Each day, more and more people are passing this rite of passage of the year 2020. I ticked that off my bucket list a few weeks ago, as I was randomly selected to take part in a piece of research. The testing I’m referring to in this cartoon, though, is to do with the easing – testing the water over summer to see what the virus will and will not tolerate.

Number 1 focuses on the people who have been shielding. Back on 1st August, shielders were ‘released’ and were told that they were free to leave their houses. Many shielders, though, continue to be concerned for their health and wellbeing. The virus, after all, is still with us. It hasn’t magically disappeared. So, though vulnerable people have been signed-off to have a normal life again, they – like all us pub-goers and holiday-makers – are reminded to still stay alert. Whatever that means.

Speaking of holiday-makers, we were also told about a month back that we’re allowed to go abroad again. Some things called ‘travel corridors’ have been created to facilitate this. Now, personally, I was never going to try and go abroad this year. I don’t think my nerves could have taken it. Being stranded is a genuine fear. But many have decided to get some Mediterannean sunshine and it’s their right to do so. These summer holidays have certainly captured the headlines, though, with many being caught out by very short notice changes to quarantine rules. I think it was Spain that bit the dust first. Now everyone keeps talking about France. Where’s next? It’s like a game of Russian roulette. I suppose we all need that thrill these days…

Moving onto the 3rd section, we’ve all been given the green light to meet people who aren’t from our household indoors again. Well, actually, that isn’t quite right. Let me start again. Most of us were told that we could see people indoors again, but some of us were a bit naughty and now we’re not allowed anymore. My family live in Pendle and are under tighter restrictions at the moment – apparently because people weren’t keeping to social distancing guidelines when visiting each other indoors. Naughty, naughty.

And finally, the ‘Eat out to help out’ scheme. I’ve certainly been a winner from this campaign and have so far enjoyed 2 discounted meals at local village pubs. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think the spectre of Covid was behind me, though. My fear of getting ‘The Call’ is still there and that’s going to be a reality for the foreseeable future. Just another example of the trying – and changeable – times we continue to be in.

I should say that I really don’t envy policy makers. I think in many cases, it would be impossible to make a ‘good’ choice in this situation. It isn’t fair for ‘shielders’ to be confined to their houses indefinitely, it isn’t good for the economy if people can’t go on holiday, it isn’t helpful for wellbeing if you can’t see your friends and everyone wants a meal as a special treat now and then! Sadly, I think this is our ‘new normal’ for the time being – a time when plans can change quickly, disruption is highly likely and self-isolation (at some point) is an inevitability.

Indeed, I’ve kept most of my cartoons pretty politically neutral. The satire is usually aimed at myself or is used to demonstrate the universally rubbish aspects of our situation – where we’re pretty much helpless to do anything about them… I do need to end on one final thing, though. And, just a warning, it is political. Last week, I spoke to lots of students who had just received their A Level results, along with their parents and teachers. There’s only one thing I have to say about this: it isn’t right and it isn’t fair.