Mayoral node

The list of the illustrious who have contracted coronavirus is growing by the day. Prince Charles. Tom Hanks. Linda Lusardi. Apparently the two first to be infected in Mozambique are the Maputo mayor and his wife. They have been identified as nodes for the spread and are being criticised for not isolating on arrival back to the country after attending a charity event in the high-risk UK. They had been photographed there with Prince Charles and Prince Albert of Monaco, both of whom have now confirmed they have the virus. Coronavirus pays no heed to social class; yet society being riven by inequalities and privileged behaviours means that princely types are much better equipped to deal with it. The average Mozambican will find it hard to isolate due to cramped living conditions and will struggle to follow public health advice as there’s a daily need to earn money for food. So far there is only a handful of confirmed cases in Mozambique and we’re hopeful it doesn’t spread like wildfire.

I had some good work calls today: a morning session on developing our marine programme in Mozambique which was a wonderful three-hour period during which we didn’t focus on coronavirus, and some afternoon thinking around emergency financial and risk planning, during which we did.

I cycled along the river for an afternoon break until some unfortunate footpath works blocked the way. Now is not the time to impede solitary walkers and cyclists needing to move their limbs. I noticed these swans encroaching upon a boat and thought it represented nature taking back control. Cambridge might become a Chernobyl in thirty years’ time.