March 14th, 2020

So the Corona virus is a thing, officially now.  We have been hearing about it for some weeks, and a few weeks ago it became more real when cases started popping up here in our country.  We just literally went from yes we are going to keep having school to we are not having school Friday, to we are not having school for two weeks.  Major sports leagues have stopped or postponed their activities.  The St. Patrick's Day Parade has been cancelled.  The Marathon has been postponed.  People are social distancing, so they are being encouraged to not go to church, and work from home if possible.  And the president continues to be a useless place to look for information or reassurance or honest answers.  I have stopped going to the gym.  This virus is one that affects older people more than anyone, at least that's what they saying right now.  It also affects people with underlying health conditions.  So it can and does kill old people, but other people, mostly children can remain asymptomatic.  So there is quite a range.  The death rate is low, but much higher than the seasonal flu.  It's much more contagious than the seasonal flu.  Wren just said, "I cannot believe that two weeks ago everything was normal."  This is what makes it all surreal.  We are hearing things will get worse before they get better.  It is hard to remember amidst all of this interruption of normal life, that it is not because everyone is going to die, but rather it is to keep lots of people from being in the hospital at once.  Words like 'containment' and 'mitigation' are being used.  We are at the point now where we realize this cannot be contained, but if we can spread the number of people getting sick out, hospitals will be in a better position.  And so we are here at home, leaving only to shop.  Almost.  David still has to commute to work.  Wren still buses at the Bull Run.  But I suspect even those two things will stop soon.  We have all learned how to wash our hands.  Steps that take 20 seconds.  Wash your hands, and wash them often.  If you can't wash them, use hand sanitizer.  The problem is hand sanitizer is nowhere to be found.  Neither are wipes, alcohol, or bleach.  Or toilet paper.  It is eery to go into a grocery store and see empty aisles.  I'm hoping to keep writing about this so when we look back at this time there will be a somewhat accurate representation of what happened.  As Wren says, two weeks ago we would not have believed we would be where we are now.  We have heard and watched China and South Korea and Iran deal with this.  The most recent Italy, and they are in dire straits.  They are having to choose who to let die and who to save.  We are being told if we don't act aggressively now, we will be like Italy.  I don't feel like we are acting aggressively enough.  I hope we are.  And I hope people understand to look away from the president and look toward the doctors and the scientists to find the truth.

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