Thank You To Soho & Keep Safe, London

So yesterday marked then end of free testing kits for Covid so I thought I had to include this poignant note that was posted on the outside wall of the testing centre where I used to pick up my free test kits over the past eighteen months or so. The Westminster team were always there every day, come rain or shine. In the early days they stood outside handing them out to passers-by but eventually retreated inside their office with the door left open and the tests sitting on a desk at the entrance. They deserve our gratitude for making such a big difference during the pandemic. I just really hope that it is not a huge mistake to get rid of access to free testing kits and I worry that, due to the cost of living crisis we are about to be hit by, people will just not be able to afford tests any more even when they have symptoms. We have already had one variant since the rules and regulations were relaxed and I fear we will now be under prepared for the next one. It seems as if we are sweeping away the rules like so much rubbish (hence the inclusion of the refuse collector in the shot, who just happened to be passing by). 
The edict to "exercise personal responsibility" in crowded places and on public transport (my commuter trains are stuffed with people not wearing masks) has been ignored by the majority, if not the minority,  even during the latest surge so that worries me a lot. I also feel so sorry for all those workers that have lost their jobs at the other testing centres which are being closed down left right and centre. We should have only relaxed the rules after the Spring booster programme not before it.We are putting the over 75's and those with underlying health conditions in needless danger.
At least today was Friday and once I am off my rush hour train it turns into my favourite night of the week. We had a bit of drama on the way to our obligatory end of week visit to the pub, though. Coming down a narrow street nearby my brother stopped to let a car through but the driver was blinded by the low, very bright sun and ploughed into the back of a stationery flat bed truck. Luckily, the driver was okay but the accident was bad enough to trigger the airbags on his car. My brother went to check on him and as you can imagine he was in shock but otherwise relatively unharmed. It was certainly a bit of a jolting end to the day.