Monday 17^th February, 2020 1745

Still it continues.

News from Jody's friend who works as some sort of manager in the Starbuck's at the mall where BK and Metro are told her they were open. She wasn't sure about the mall but they were. Great! They do ham and cheese panninis! If nothing else I can have that for dinner!

Then at lunchtime came the rider that they were only open for people to have takeaways. Sometimes I could scream. It's freezing cold, why would I want a takeaway hot pannini that would be ice cubes ten seconds after leaving??

Sod that, had I known earlier I would have showered and gone and got the makings for a roast dinner as intended but too late now. Ok, looks like sandwiches or sardines on toast then. We could still go out? To be fair, good idea, being cooped up all day for four weeks so far, it's good to just get out occasionally.

So we went. I wanted to see if China Tobacco had my brand yet because the things I have been buying are twice as pricey and just make me cough – but I could easily do that alone another day. No, let's go.

So we did. China Tobacco was open but you couldn't go inside. Big table across the door and the obligatory temperature check. My brand? Of course not. Ok, what about 3G? I cough less but they cost 3X as much. Ten days worth cost as much as a month of my normal brand but I am stuffed. Except I wasn't allowed to pay cash or with my bank card in case they were infected from the germs I am not carrying! No, Jody had to pay by scanning with her phone, something I neither can nor want to be able to do.

The whole journey on the bus I had been looking to see where was open. Still just supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies. I had a bad feeling. Sure enough the mall was closed and the McDonald's nearby was only doing takeaways. I might have a digestive biscuit later.

Four weeks now and it is getting worse. Frozen on the bus because the drivers are now actually taping the windows open so you can't close them, taxis have notices saying you can only sit in the back and now there's a cone with a no entry tape to my own road! Ok that last is not too dreadful, it's about twenty yards to my place from there but nonetheless.........

I am pissed off with the whole affair now. This is not Wuhan, people are not dropping like flies and Shanghai, far worse affected and way closer to Wuhan, is now coming back to life while this backwoods place is simply closing down more!

Still, it could be worse, I could be in England getting a bit wet!