Propaganda box on wall was lying

Finding forever friends through freedom fighting

- ANDREW SEADON

IN March 2020, as a man nearing 73 and listening to the doom-laden government forecasts that 500,000 could perish, I feared for my life.

I checked that my will was properly in place for my much younger wife, preparing her for life without me.

I was totally taken in, and no way was I going to go against what was advised from the benevolent medical and scientific experts, who regaled me every day with the seriousness of it all from that box on the wall.

I insisted, upon a visit from my eldest, that we sit in the garden, socially distanced, of course, and certainly no physical contact.

I went on my daily walk, crossed over the road to avoid people approaching me, washed my hands endlessly, had my food delivered and sat indoors waiting for it to get me. Time stood still and so did my life.

There were signs that all was not what it seemed, but I studiously ignored them, still fearing for my life with a mind scrambled with the daily pounding from the media and government of increasing death figures and the exponential rise in cases.

First sign: my eldest son tells me: 'This is all nonsense. You are a fit man. It's no more than a bad flu.' I didn't believe him... he was just trying to make me feel better.

Second sign: the same son sent me some links to people I should read or listen to. I did read and listen, but those articles and voices were 'debunked' by 'fact checkers'. I believed the latter I was one of the millions who allowed the basic instinct of fear to paralyse my critical faculties.