The ‘new normal’

I'm not someone who is prone to emotion when looking at images of politicians holding babies, but I have to admit that the recent video circulating on social media of Barack Obama high-fiving children brought tears to my eyes! I'm not sure exactly why, but I think it has something to do with the interactions in the images feeling so out of place, and the acknowledgment that so much has changed (and not just the American President) with social distancing. The reality that we can no longer be closer than 2 metres to other people — that we are expected to adapt to a ‘new normal’, as though that's normal — is very hard to cope with.

Before continuing I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to anyone who has lost a family member, friend or colleague to COVID-19. I have been lucky, I don't know anyone who has been affected by the virus, but with over 30 000 deaths in the UK I appreciate that there are many families mourning the loss of a loved one, and my thoughts are with you.