Flowers

Another irritating day, this time caused by Virgin Money. I wanted to close a small account and didn’t want a 45 mile round trip to do it. I rang the branch who weren’t answering, but gave a head office number on a recorded message and offered to ring back if I left a message which I did. I then rang head office and spent the next 1hr 20 mins trying to find someone who could help. I spoke to 5 people, was given 3 incorrect depts to ring and given incorrect info twice. At the end of which I was told I’d have to put it in writing to Head Office - a painful way to get that info. So I wrote a letter and walked into town and back to post it - another hour say. The branch rang back 6.5 hours after I left the message, too late at this point. So I asked about moving my ISA to a better rate. I was told new accounts are only online now and she couldn’t tell me interest rates as they change at 10pm. So I thought to check if online I could open the account and transfer my old ISA across - the answer is no, I need to fill out a physical form to do the transfer! When I moved to Holt 4 years ago it had 4 banks / building societies and now it only has one open part time and nearby towns are the same. I knew living in a rural location would have issues, but assumed the internet would largely overcome that - but the online service banks offer since the pandemic has been truly woeful. I then rang Yorkshire Building Society in Cromer, they answered immediately and answered several account queries I had and booked me an appointment to make some changes, all in a few mins, well done YBS! 

Btw, the flowers are fake, but pretty ones in a display in a shop window in town.

Day 750 / Day 41 of no Legal Covid Requirements in England (for my record only)
The UKHSA says a new Omicron variant called XE has been identified which initial data suggests has a growth rate 9.8% above BA.2. It’s also been identified in New Zealand and Thailand. Remdesivir has been found in randomised controlled trials to show no benefits over a normal standard of care - this is the drug Matt Hancock described as the ‘biggest step forward in the treatment of coronavirus since the crisis began’. A study published in the Lancet showed people with mild Covid infections had a 28% higher risk of developing diabetes than those not infected, and those who’ve recovered from Covid had a 40% increased risk of diabetes a year later - the report I saw gave no info on numbers looked at. The health and social care committee has said that between Mar and Sept 2020, 3m fewer people were invited for cancer screening than in the previous 6 months. It also said in the year Apr 20 to Mar 21 45,000 fewer people across the UK started cancer treatment than in previous years. It warns that ‘without significant additional efforts, there is a real risk that the gains in cancer survival will reverse.’ The IMF places the global cost of the pandemic at $13.8tn.