The Forty-fifth Day: 6 May 2020 (201,101 confirmed infected, 30,076 died, in total)

"We can safely say that none of these countries are doing well, but this is not Eurovision and it is pointless to try and rank them." – Prof. Sir David Spiegelhalter

COVID-19 death toll in the UK sadly hit the 30,000 milestone, being first in Europe. It passed Italy yesterday to become the highest in Europe. The UK is now ranking the second place in the world, just behind the US. What a grievous fact! Do not forget that the US population is almost five times as big as UK’s, but US number of deaths is just twice as great as UK’s.

Experts are reminding people and explaining why statistical figures are not comparable between countries. I agree with that, but even that is true, the figures of UK are problematic themselves. There must have been something wrong in the UK’s “anti-virus war”. Some media and politicians criticised the government as “complacent”, but in my opinion, it might be even worse. “Deluding themselves” is the correct phrase.

But nonetheless, the daily new cases and deaths seem to be going down the slope. The whole society is discussing about how to gradually lift up the lockdown measures and make life returned to normal phase by phase. Are rain clouds really being dispersed, or we are just going to brave the rain?

In the evening, we unexpectedly received a notice from the airline company saying that tomorrow there will be a flight flying back to China and there can possibly be two seats for Dan and me. This is a miracle, since almost all flights back to China have been cancelled since February; the only remaining scheduled flight once a week has been given priority to Chinese students in the UK. Buying two seats on a flight is simply a mission impossible to most non-student passengers.

My work requires me to go back to China as soon as possible; Sonne has to remain in the UK as she is a key worker here to keep her company running, which in turn will contribute to the running of the UK; Dan’s school cannot be reopened for at least a month, and he can be even more devastating than the virus if he stay with his mum in London. (“Give me a 7-year-old boy and I will move the earth.” – Archimedes would agree with me.)

So, it seems that tomorrow may be the “time to say goodbye” for our family, and my lockdown life in London may come to an early end. But until the cabin door is closed, no one can guarantee that we two will succeed.

A mixed and complicated feeling for the whole night. China is now much safer than the UK, for the epidemic is almost ended there. I can keep away from the threat of the virus and regain my freedom of going outside by leaving the UK. But I suddenly found more did I enjoy these locked-down days in London with fear and confinement, for no reason, but being together with my dearest family. When will all of us be together again?

I could not help myself to remember the queen’s words:

“Better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”