IT was in March 2020, that we published our first story on Covid. We proceeded to publish over 2,500 stories on the pandemic.

In many ways, all 2,500 reports were summed up by a friend who lost a relative. They said that “the first wave felt like numbers but the second wave felt like names.”

Over the eighteen months, we became familiar with names. On the National Day of Reflection in 2022, Passmores Academy produced a video with tributes to family members connected with the school.

We know they felt their losses deeply. They still do.

When you publish 2,500 stories, you see the many names. We saw Christopher Burgess, we saw Alan Simpson. At Princess Alexandra Hospital, we saw the loss of Barclay Mason.

We are also aware that underneath the statistics that we produced every day was a father, a mother, a brother or a friend.

We remember one particular day. That was in early January 2021. It was a day that nearly 200 people were in Princess Alexandra Hospital and over 1500 Harlow residents were registered as having Covid-19.

This reporter did worry that day whether this was just the tip of the iceberg or had we peaked. We had peaked. It was with much relief.

We are also aware that there are people still living with the long term effects of Covid.

Can we also give a shout out to Richard from East Ridings who as @RP131 produced the stats.

And as this is a day of reflection, and for the record, we also remember the Covid-deniers. Some whom stood outside schools imploring pupils not to take the vaccine. They appeared to have moved on to chem trails and ULEZ.

But let us go back to the positives. The Covid support groups, the leadership at Harlow Council (Mark Ingall and Andrew Johnson), those who stood out and clapped for carers.

There were many business that received help and much of that was organised by Harlow MP Robert Halfon and his office.

There was an amazing team at Lister House doing the vaccines. We appreciated Prof Gino’s blogs.

Unless you worked in the NHS (at the sharp end) we don’t think we have any real idea of what it was like. We know thank you doesn’t pay the bills but we are eternally grateful.

Harlow comes out to clap for carers

The churches that put on services on-line. Or just the random acts of kindness from neighbours.

The children from Church Langley who put message of love and support in the woods between Church Langley and Newhall.

This is just a snapshot piece on a day of refection. We apologise if we haven’t mentioned you. We will, one day, write a much longer piece. For many people, it was a horrible eighteen months and they may have, even five years later, no wish to remember.

But was we say, what we remember, over 2,500 stories is the fragility and vulnerability of this life but also the goodness in the vast vast majorities of people’s hearts. It is that we reflect upon.

Michael Casey: March 2026.