Working but not working

The latest figures from the ONS are out, which are probably more useful than the daily death toll because they include everyone and make a deeper analysis. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/weekending3april2020
Reading this report, it seems that the governments measures, like the rest of us, are simultaneously working and not working.

Social distancing does seem to be starting to flatten the curve; the health service is coping (just). However, there seem to be more people than you would expect dying from other things. This is not what any government wants.

Luckily for me (and probably you) I’m not clever enough to speculate on what choices this gives the government but can tell you how it feels to be both working and not working.

I am working. I’m being paid and there are tasks I need to do. I have reports to write, training to complete, work to set and comment on (remotely). I am arranging music, practising and thinking about how to make my teaching better. However, with the biggest, most important part of my job (jumping around like an idiot in front of thirty small people) missing, it feels as though I’m not working. The not working part makes me sadder than the work I’m doing can compensate for.

It’s how we all feel, really. None of what we are doing can cure death and that makes us sad.