An Invernessian in America: Having coronavirus was the most unwell I’ve ever felt for a prolonged period
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Diane Knox on how Covid is playing out for her – and Meghan's funeral no-show.
It’s been some year hasn’t it?! In some respects, it’s flown by but when I really think about life pre-Covid the everyday “norm” seems like quite a distant memory.
Working in an office with other people, travel, running into a shop with a bare face – life has changed. It’s taught us all not to take life’s tiny luxuries for granted. However, and this is a big however, I’ve had it a lot easier being in Florida.
It has almost become the naughty place where people come to flout rules and live a relatively restriction-free life. But it’s allowed.
I live in Jacksonville, where our mask mandate has expired, restaurants and bars have been fully open for months, gyms only closed for a few weeks way back when the pandemic reared its ugly head, and next week there’s even a country music festival.
I talk to my friends in Scotland who seem surprised by the way of life here. I can’t think of anything that is restricted for us, for better or for worse. Don’t get me wrong, I have been avoiding large crowds of people for the best part. And wearing a mask whenever in public. But the anxiety of being around others has pretty much disappeared.
I work in golf and last month we had The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, a course that is 10 minutes from my house. It was the first time I had been at an event where the wearing of masks was strictly enforced; the “mask police” were omnipresent to ensure you only took off your face covering to eat or drink, and then it was straight back on.
Last November, The Masters was held in Augusta, Georgia with no fans. Last week, it was back and a limited number of patrons were allowed on site to relish the magic of golf’s Disneyland.
It took me back to November, my boyfriend and I had a few friends over to the house to watch the coverage, have a few drinks, eat Masters-themed delights and socialise. A few days later one of my friends started to feel unwell and, lo and behold, that resulted in the first of the positive Covid tests.
Every single person we had at the house, including ourselves, tested positive. And let me tell you, the weeks that followed were brutal – zero energy, constant nausea, loss of smell and taste, coughs, blocked sinuses, body aches, migraines, the works.
It was the most unwell I’d felt for a prolonged period of time ever. That gathering was a terrible idea!
It only seemed fitting that last week, right before The Masters, I received my first dose of the vaccine. In my group of friends, both in America and in Scotland, there are opposing views on it. And that’s fine. Freedom of choice with zero judgement.
But that first dose of Pfizer, to me, symbolised hope, optimism and a brighter restriction-free life for all – and hopefully a means to get over to Scotland this summer.
I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Prince Philip. Even at 99 years old, and after dealing with many well-publicised health issues, it was still a shock.
I get asked about the royal family a lot, even more so after the Harry and Meghan interview with Oprah, which is still dominating headlines. Since Prince Philip’s passing, a lot of media emphasis has been on the fact that Meghan will not be attending his funeral with her husband, making this decision on the basis of medical advice regarding her pregnancy.
It’s really terrible how some news outlets have spun the story, and I’m sure Meghan would be by her husband’s side to support him during a very emotional time if she could. However, it would’ve been the first time the couple had been with the rest of the family since the interview and any resulting “fallout” so it might be a blessing in disguise with the world’s media firmly on them.
