Chapati

Chapati and potatoes

Another super spike of infections .... 1800+ new cases compared to Sunday's 900+. It's a 100% increase. And the govt. continues to flip flop ... causing confusion among the public. The biggest flip flop see-saw is closing the restaurants. They were supposed to close yesterday but last minute they were allowed to open if they have open-air sitting space. Then suddenly this morning the ruling was overturned by the Parliament and at 5am this morning they were forced to close. At 10am opposition parties voted to reopen them again. I totally understand the exasperation of the restauranteurs ... desperation even. Some had dismissed their workers thinking they must close, then recall them when told they could open ... and dismiss them again when the ruling reversed.  Those who gave away food rather than let it rot in the freezer were equally pained by the reversals back and forth in 24 hours. I;m sure they'll be out in the streets this evening demonstrating at the confusion caused by the govt. In a simple word ... the govt. has lost it. Totally out of control and the govt. doesn't know what to do. Internal fighting between parties and within parties is causing a lot of suffering among the citizens.

Nurses called off their strike after 24 hours when the govt agreed to admit 2000+ more nursing staff to help in hospitals. Social workers however are in their 3rd week of strike. Teachers are warning of going on strike if the govt goes ahead with opening schools in September ... without sufficient precautions for students and teachers. In fact the Ministry of Education has declared it will not open schools though the govt. is determined to go ahead with opening. It's nothing to do with students' education of course. It's all about the economy. If kids stay home, the parents must stay home to watch over them and feed them. That means they don't go to work ... which means the economy suffers.

New Gate is deserted

The MC sisters made chapati and curry potatoes this morning for me. They asked me to celebrate Mass for them as no priest was available and their elderly sick sister cannot walk to the Holy Sepulchre. I never go out to celebrate Mass except for the Armenian community on Sundays ... but this morning was an exception. In the evening I celebrate Mass online for the chinese sisters as they avoid going out due to the massive outbreak of the virus. Places of worship are limited to 10 people only.  

I was dreadfully exhausted this afternoon after I came home from work. There was a one hour class and then there was library work in the other library and then I had to rush to the pharmacy to inquire for an elderly sick armenian lady about some medicines, When I got home at 1pm I felt so tired and dizzy that I went to rest immediately. It was 3 hours later when I got up. I guess the whole of last week's schedule has taken its toll on me. I need a quiet holiday by the seaside like Jaffa .... but this year the virus is preventing travel.