Well, what do you think?

[Rod]

Hello everyone, I hope all OK out there.
Now as the title implies I am throwing open a question to you all.  Am I mental (let me finish please), being foolish, or is it because I want to bloody look forward to something?  Oh the reason I ask those questions is because I have actually gone and booked my flights to Corfu!  Yes I've done it.  They are booked for the wife and I for the 10th June.
I do realise I am going to get different responses but that is exactly why I am asking you.  I want to know what you think and why.  I'll go first.  First of all I am hoping for some normality to resume by June (fingers crossed).  Secondly is for some reason I think once restrictions relax then there will be an almighty dash for flights to various destinations and therefore prices will go through the roof.  Most of all though is what I said earlier, I just want something to look forward to and dream of beautiful San Stefanos.  Over to you.   

[Jimbo]

Hi Rod. Dangerous to ask me what I think, but here goes:

It seems to me to be too early to make any kind of forecast. The new virus variants are incredibly infectious. They have completely changed the picture.

A lot may depend on whether the EU can recover from its disastrous cock-up of the vaccination program. As of today, Greece has vaccinated 290,000 people. That's 2.75% of the population. Greece did extremely well in the first wave, and kept the infection rate very low. The current scientific thinking, as far as I can find it, in the USA and the UK, is that for mass immunity at least 80% of the population need to be vaccinated. So there is no space for complacency.

There were 540 new infections reported in Greece in the last week. That's low by UK standards, but the new variants are capable of rapid exponential growth.

Things will become a lot clearer by Easter. Fingers crossed!

[Rod]

Thanks for the reply Jimbo.  I know everything is up in the air and quite frankly if it's not possible to fly due to covid then I will not lose out.  However I have also paid 50% cost of my accommodation already.  Mental I am, or optimistic.

[Tredegar Boy]

My sister has invited us to join her at her Turkish villa at the beginning of June but I'm not sure if we will be allowed to fly if we haven't had the vaccine. I'm in the priority 6 group in Wales while my wife is in group 5. The rate of vaccinations in Wales suggests I may not get the jab until July. On top of that will the countries where we want to go let us in.

Love to do what you've done though.

[Jimbo]

I think Rod is right to take an optimistic step. Given that UK vaccination rates are number three in the world, there's good reason to think that things will be better by the summer.

There's room for TB to hope as well. Wales now has the highest per capita vaccination rate in the UK.

I'm sure that the EU will get its lethargic act together and ramp things up very soon. If not, we may see countries like Greece take their own emergency powers.

[Karen]

Hello Rod and everyone! Rod, I don't blame you for booking your flights. It's very hard to say where we will be in June, but I feel the problem is more likely to be in Corfu, vaccinations etc, than here. Our holiday was transferred from July last year, to this year. We will both , most likely, have had 2 jabs by then. However, we have both  become very nervous of going anywhere. Last Saturday I was taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack and it made me realise just how brilliant our nhs staff and hospitals are, that's what I worry about, being ill in another country...

[Rod]

Hello Rod and everyone! Rod, I don't blame you for booking your flights. It's very hard to say where we will be in June, but I feel the problem is more likely to be in Corfu, vaccinations etc, than here. Our holiday was transferred from July last year, to this year. We will both , most likely, have had 2 jabs by then. However, we have both  become very nervous of going anywhere. Last Saturday I was taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack and it made me realise just how brilliant our nhs staff and hospitals are, that's what I worry about, being ill in another country...

Karen, I really do hope you are ok.  You are probably right regarding your fears and both the wife and I had lengthy discussions about our June holiday.  At the end of the day the worst that could happen (apart from having covid) is we cancel and arrange for another time.  I'm still optimistic but then again I always am.  The wife on the other hand is the opposite to me.

[Karen]

Thank you Rod. Spent the evening in resuss unit, had lots of bloods, ecg's, xrays. All the sinister stuff ruled out, being treated for costochondritis , inflammation of tissues connecting ribs to sternum, very painful...

Your wife is like me Rod! I really doubt we will go and will just see nearer the time.

[Charlie]

Good luck to you Rod, hope it works out for you.

Personally I believe that there’s a good reason to stop all foreign trips this year.  We need to really get on top of this virus.  The NHS would not be able to cope with another winter like the one we are going through.

I’m speaking as someone who is used to having  at least three foreign holidays per year.

[Jimbo]

Oh God, Karen! Don't flake out on us! We need your enigmatic smile. 

I know all about pessimists - I live with one. I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic about summer in Corfu. I am confident that the UK will have vaccinated a huge number of people before July. The EU? Not so sure.

Israel leads the world with its vaccination programme, and they are starting to see very good results. Charlie is, I think, absolutely right to caution about lack of caution. One of my favourite songs is "Going to Carolina in my mind" and if I can't go physically to Corfu I'll think of all the funny and lovely times we've had. 

[Karen]

Oh Jim, thank you. I'm still not sure I've got the right diagnosis, we'll see..

Yes we have fantastic memories of San Stef  and the people we have met over the years...

[Rod]

Oh God, Karen! Don't flake out on us! We need your enigmatic smile. 

I know all about pessimists - I live with one. I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic about summer in Corfu. I am confident that the UK will have vaccinated a huge number of people before July. The EU? Not so sure.

Israel leads the world with its vaccination programme, and they are starting to see very good results. Charlie is, I think, absolutely right to caution about lack of caution. One of my favourite songs is "Going to Carolina in my mind" and if I can't go physically to Corfu I'll think of all the funny and lovely times we've had.

At bedtime after I've put my book/kindle down I find it relaxing to go for a walk around San Stefanos.  It's all my imagination of course and I often change my route.  Loads of times I've passed the man that tends to his goats and I've had interesting chats with him.  Interesting because I don't know much Greek and likewise his English is poor.  I think this lockdown is getting to me.

[Tredegar Boy]

Look after yourself Karen for goodness sake.

[Karen]

Look after yourself Karen for goodness sake.

Thank you TB

[BarbaraG]

Best wishes Karen for a speedy recovery.