Good people. Bad people.

So! I got my communication from the government yesterday morning telling me that I was in the highest risk category and I should commence the "shield" protocol and stay at home for at least 12 weeks and not see anyone except my wife. I can't pretend I reacted well to it - I've stated many times how massively important friends and golf are to my psychological state of mind. It is so important to me in that it provides an antidote to all the horrible stuff I face in the rest of the week with the physical and psychological management of my illness. But, of course, I will observe the protocol because it's really hard to enjoy friends and golf when you're dead.

Last night (23rd March 2020), the PM asked everyone to observe the 'lockdown' rules and I see there are some idiots criticising that decision already. So let's just be absolutely clear here for a minute: The govt has brought this protocol into place because some selfish elements in our society decided the rules did not apply to them. We all saw the pictures of Snowdon and various seafronts at the weekend. We all saw the pictures on the London Underground. People congregating in close proximity, travelling when there was no need to, and failing to observe any of the safety protocols. Brainless, selfish morons is the technical description for them I think.

What these people fail to realise is that there are some vulnerable people who will die as a result of their selfishness. Not maybe, not perhaps. It is an absolute statistical certainty. Because those selfish people went out and about and ignored government requests for people to behave responsibly and thoughtfully, they will have spread the virus (because statistically some of them will have been infected or carriers of the virus) which will be passed on to whoever they encountered. As a direct consequence of their actions, people will die. I hope they are proud of themselves.

Does anyone want to bet me that these are same people who are now criticising the government? Furthermore, does anyone want to bet me that these are also the same people who hoarded food and supplies?

I have also read some posts by the usual idiot groups criticising government actions or trying to claim that the PM only made financial and other provisions because of pressure from Corbyn or whoever. What utter garbage. It is simply lies - and what's worse - these people know it is complete lies - but they also know there are idiots out there who will believe it and peddle it. It seems that even at a time of national emergency, there are still those who will use a desperate situation to try to score cheap political points. That really is scum of the earth behaviour. Most other decent people are rallying round while these people try to manipulate lies for their own selfish political ends. God knows - I have no love for Johnson but thus far, the government and its advisers have done a bloody brilliant job of managing this crisis. Credit where credit is due.

I know the British people. There are examples all over the place of people being wonderful to each other. My own beloved and magnificent wife went round last week and got all the phone numbers of the elderly people in our road so that when she was going shopping, she could pick up anything they needed (observing the social distancing protocols of course). There are similar stories up and down the country. I hear identical stories from my friends in the US, across Europe and Australia. I'm sure the same is true across the world.

I also want to pay tribute to the entire NHS and its partners in both the private and public sectors. All the people who are keeping our country going - from garbage collection teams to pharmacists and everything and everyone in between. I also want to pay tribute to all the fantastic groups who do so much to help and support people, including the CLL Support Group and MacMillan - but there are scores of others too. We all owe you so much.

It just proves that when a crisis hits, whilst a few will be selfish, thoughtless and irresponsible, the vast majority of people will rally round and show genuine community spirit.

Please look after yourselves and your loved ones. Take care of yourselves. Most of all, please observe government protocols - if you aren't sure how they affect you - err on the side of caution. You can have fun when all this is finished and you aren't dead.

I'm changing my sign off line temporarily.

Stay strong. Fight hard. Smile lots. Stay safe.