When will the virus be gone daddy? as news broke that we're entering another lockdown. It all started when a returned traveller caught COVID19 from a quarantine hotel upon release. They then spent the following week travelling the state, meeting family, friends and attending venues.
I have to admit I'm really grateful for my countries response and my states ability to move quickly, trace movements and inform the community. Unfortunately we learned many were not checking into locations and in other states and territories it's been reported that people were using false names and details.
A barrier to ensuring COVIDSafety, under the guise of "anonymity" people put the whole nation's safety at risk.
But it's OK, I quite enjoy the lock down life and here in our part of the world land is vast and transmission even in a break out is low in comparison to other nations. Lil Miss spent her whole 3rd year in lock down, a challenge for anyone and more such than for a child. A time when they need to be learning, growing and making friends while exploring the world she was forced into lock down by mother nature.
Regardless of what has happened this virus is another reminder of how fragile we truly are as humans. We build cities and roads, entertainment complexes, homes, tunnels, planes. We can travel to outter space and land on the moon. But at the end of the day, we are but mortal.
When will the virus be gone daddy? she asks again, I smile and hold her close. It's hard, hard for any parent. I question that no one can answer. An answer we are all searching for, normality. In my mind I ask myself when will I be able to show you the world? When will I be able to take you to the places I hold dear? When?
As parents we shield our children from the dangers of life and currently life itself is dangerous, we still don't know what comes next. Is this the hardest part? Will there be more trouble?
In time, things will be healed and life will continue and this will just be momentarily, a blip in time one that past generations experienced yet not us.
Today I got my first shot of Pfizer and I'll return in a few weeks for my second with the hopes of immunity. I still have questions that are unanswered but the biggest question I have is will this provide me with the answer for little miss? The next time she asks me When will the virus be gone daddy? can I answer soon? Can I answer it is on its way out.
Or will a new strain make this immunity redundant?
I want to show you the world little miss, I want to show you what's beyond our 5km zone, I want to take you to other worlds and other places. I want to take you to the warm beaches of the North, the sandy deserts of central Australia, the sandstone coastal cliffs of the east.
The night sky away from the big smoke, where stars shine so bright that they look like those fairy lights you love so dear.
I want to take you running in fields that seem to never end, swim in oceans that are far too cold. Go camping under the stars and sit around a camp fire with friends and family.
Take you fishing in a lake and finally get around to buying a canoe.
In time the virus will be gone but for now we can plan all the things we will do once I tell you, yes my dear, the virus is gone.