The music scene has blossomed technically and online. My lack of computer savviness (apparent in the design of this blog) has improved. I’m downloading video clips, converting them to mp3 or mp4, changing the key or tempo as and when necessary, converting PDFs to jpeg. Small beer, admittedly, but a big personal improvement. Our Sunday evening sessions, led by people in Malta, have resulted in considerable cross-fertilization, and our own Sunday morning practices have improved beyond recognition. At first, we were concerned about including singing because of latency problems (the ping if you conduct an internet speed test) but, singing – an integral part of our repertoire – is now a permanent feature of the practices.
Turning to Covid, we are still under severe lockdown conditions. Though the 6pm curfew on Saturday and Sunday evenings has now been brought into line with the 9pm weekday curfew, not much else has changed. Barbers and manicure/pedicure centres are open, as if getting your toenails done is more important than buying a (necessary) new computer or underwear.
Unfortunately, Covid risks running out of control. In post 5/21, I wrote: “On 6th February Greece recorded 1,113 new cases, 29 deaths and 249 intubated.” The situation as of yesterday (22nd March) was 1.707 new cases, 69 dead and 681 intubated. For the authorities, the most alarming figure is the number of intubated cases as ICUs are at full capacity.
Source: iefimerida.gr – https://www.iefimerida.gr/ellada/koronoios-kroysmata-nekroi-anakoinosi-22-3
Why has this happened? As I have written before, while discipline is still good in shops, it has broken down completely on seafronts where people seem to believe the sea air kills the virus. Rule-breaking may be the root cause. One story involves the small town of Malesina (population 4,000 approximately) where twelve people have died including a 38- and a 44-year-old, the latter having no underlying conditions. It all began in February when 30 people attended a wedding inside a church with another 200 gathered outside! The first fatality was on 3rd March and it has been downhill since then. As a further sign of the stress on ICUs in Athens (125 km away), Malesina patients requiring intensive care are being sent to Volos (200 km away).
The only good sign right now is that Greece did not buy into the Franco-German bullshit surrounding the Astra-Zeneca vaccine. Accordingly, vaccinations are approaching 1.5 million – quite good compared with other EU countries. I will be checking to see if my name has come up!