Deadly selfishness

After breakfast, I completed next Sunday's sermon, then walked for an hour before cooking lunch. It was good to  hear on the news that 75% of the UK population are now doubly vaccinated. The government is proposing booster jabs for the most vulnerable, to be delivered in tandem with 'flu jabs this autumn. 

This has come in for serious criticism from vaccinologists who state that it's a strategic error to think this will make a great difference, without evidence of the value. Surplus vaccines should be sent to places where the need is greatest in the world. Huge numbers of lives will be lost with even bigger consequences for poorer nations, and there's serious risk that vaccine poverty could help nurture another mutant strain even more deadly and contagious than are already known. It's not in the UK's best long term interests to refrain from being generous, in such circumstances. Self centred political ambition is capable of reaping deadly rewards in this case

Another deadly plague virus related to ebola has now been reported in West Africa. Early warning is leading to early action in a region which has learned from dire experience the importance of an urgent response. Yet again it's a development connected with environmental degradation and the effect of climate change unbalancing natural processes that mitigate the spread of most viral mutants.

Clare had an osteo-myology appointment with Kay in Newport mid-afternoon. I drove her there and went for a walk with my DSLR in nearby Beechwood Park while I waited for her. I remember doing this once before, but couldn't remember when. I hunted for the photo file in my archive containing pictures taken last time, but couldn't find it. Even worse, I had no idea of how long ago it was. I searched this blog and was amazed to discover my last visit was in the autumn ten years ago. My memory of taking photos there was quite clear. With a rough idea of the date, I searched through old hard drive archives, and found a folder labelled 'Newport', containing ten photos taken back then. Now I have all the photos in one file.

After supper, I watched an episode of a Sky Arts photographer of the year competition, interestingly set with six contenders in a multi-cultural inner city district of Rome. The photography task was to tell a story about the place through portraits of inhabitants. I can't imagine myself doing something like that, as I feel shy about engaging with people just in order to take pictures of them. I'm not sure I'd have the right words to say. It's a social skill I've never developed. I'm wary of intruding on people's privacy, and am well aware of that when I take family photos, I'm hesitant behind the lens, which makes them annoyed with me.

Then, I remembered that I had my Morning Prayer video reflection for Thursday to complete, and spent an hour on it, before printing off the material I need for tomorrow's funeral.