Australia, Community, Travel

Coping with Covid

Forestwood
beach

Latest Update

475 deaths from Corona, in Italy yesterday. 140 new cases overnight here, in Australia. No new cases in China – that they are aware of. Some good news from China, at last.

Iceland had its first death, possibly attributed to Covid 19! Iceland!

A sparsely populated area in the north of a country of only 250,000 people. An outpost in the very north of the Atlantic!

And who was it that perished in that tiny village in the north of Iceland?

An Australian tourist!

Unbelievable, but true.

RIYADH: The Saudi Health Ministry announced 67 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the total in the Kingdom to 238. The ministry said that highest number among the newly recorded cases was 45 arrivals to Saudi Arabia during the past two days. These cases arrived from UK.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1643431/saudi-arabia

It begs the questions of how much international travel, for business or pleasure has contributed to spreading this virus, albeit inadvertantly?

Hong kong

The Australian Airline carrier, Qantas, has reduced flights by 90%. International travel has been curtailed indefinitely, for most people. The Government has now banned foriegners from visiting our country. If you are a foreign citizen living here, you may leave, but you cannot return.

Is the sun setting on the future of passenger cruising and travel? Along with companies whose sole business is tourism, holiday accommodation, hospitality, and recreation?

Supermarkets sales are booming, whilst every other business languishes, rots or dies – Death by Corona.

Toilet paper, rice, pasta, other staples and curiously broccoli, fly off the shelves as soon as they are re-stocked. Why just Broccoli?

Broccoli and Spinach Soup

Nurses, Doctors, Hospital staff such as Cleaners, Ward Admininstration staff and Service folk, Ambulance drivers, Paramedics, Police, Fire, Laboratory testing staff, Security Personnel, Emergency services, all continue to work. Thanks goodness they do.

A friend works in a Hospital laboratory conducting more than 1000 Covid 19 tests a day! His work is usually only URGENT specimens for the hospital. One hospital. How many more are being conducted at the major high volume blood laboratories in each city. That statistic staggers me.

Gyms, sporting clubs and Yoga studios have closed.

Cinemas have closed.

Social Clubs have closed.

Universities have moved to online delivery of lessons.

Fiestas and Public festivals and events are canned.

We cannot gather together in a group of more than 100.

Yet the Government refuses to close the schools – children are safer in the germ- riddled playground and public toilet than in their family home,according to our fearless leader!

TV ratings must be up higher than ever before, or perhaps residential internet data usage is?

I remain at work, by direction. Everything but essential appointments are cancelled. Essential means an appointment that is vital, for safety reasons. So there will be very limited community visits for me – I will be spending my days at work, filing!

Quite frankly, I would rather stay at home, on unpaid leave and write, or paint. One consolation is the traffic is better. And I have my podcasts to listen to. There is no Covid 19 news on them.

microphone
Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com

Driving to Podcasts

As I drive the long drive to and from work, I listen to stories of history, of what it was like to endure life in years gone by, scientific advances, the wars, heroic tales of people who overcome adversity or those who achieved success. I listen to philosophers and researchers – those who study the past to find answers to the future, who create our future. It interests me and is much preferable than listening to Corona updates.

Corona Anxiety

My daughter is worried. A 20 year old girl should not have to worry about whether she will live or die by the hand of a virus. She worries about having money to buy food and essentials; she works at a hotel, empty of guests, so her shifts have been drastically cut. There is a pitiful amount of money coming in.

She worries about paying rent. The landlord will no doubt still collect every last cent that is due. There is no relief for those who pay for their accommodation, or who have a mortgage. We help her, of course. We are her parents and willingly help. What if we weren’t here?

Traffic light control boxes

I reassure her worried teenage young adult mind, by telling her that humans are a resilient species. We have survived famine, years of food rations in the Great Depression and The World Wars. People ate rabbits, for the most part! I don’t tell her that part.

Yet in all this, life feels like it’s on hold.

I am flooded with daily emails about the extra precautions industry and businesses are taking, offering hand santizer, cleaning door handles, countertops, using gloves to handle food, only taking credit cards for payment, in order to avoid ‘dirty’ cash. I wonder: did your business, never ever clean your products or benches, door handles or ATM’s buttons before?

The mood at work and throughout society now, is solemn. And it can only become worse. People are worried, talking constantly about the latest media updates. It is hard to remain joyful and optimistic when everything is so uncertain.

– and the schools still remain open.

The Government must have shit for brains.

How are things in your area?

Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

84 thoughts on “Coping with Covid”

  1. My workplace is a university library, it has never been cleaner. As of next Monday all academic staff are working from home, for now the library remains open but we are trialling just working from home using phone, zoom or chat consults.
    Now that you mention the rabbits, I know a few spots with large populations, they might find themselves facing a new control measure.
    So many people are going to be hard hit, everyone on a casual income for a start. Banks could start to offer the suspension of mortgages for a start but I don’t think we will see that in a hurry.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. If I was one of those rabbits, I would be nervous. Hopefully, they are safe for a good while. The banks in Australia are a law unto themselves for the most part. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful gesture if banks could suspend the mortgages of casual or stood down workers? It annoys me that take their time to pass on drops in interest rates but are oh so quick to raise them on mortgages. Appalling that they have so much power in the economy of Australia.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. I don’t think Australia is doing enough. In the meantime, my like button isn’t working and I’m finding it hard to upload blog posts and provide comments. Must the the internet virus?

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Oh no. Peggy. That is no good. Along with eveything else, you have blogger withdrawal. I assume you have tried a re-install/update? (standard fix when you don’t know what is wrong).

      Like

  3. We live in a global world now….so of course a virus will spread readily. We live in most uncertain times, and we need to be kind and considerate

    Liked by 4 people

  4. It is about the same here in Sweden. All flights down, all conferences, cinemas, restaurants… The economic situation is of coarse chaotic in the whole world…But the schools too are closed here – except for the small children. This is because many of their parents are working in health care, and other necessary areas to keep society going and us safe. If all schools for the smallest children would close down, their parents would have to leave their health care jobs and everything would crash. It is also from Chinese reports understood that small children don’t easily contract the virus, get ill or die. Sweden is totally focusing on protecting people over 70 as according to Chinese and Italian statistics they are the ones most vulnerable.
    There is no wrongs or rights, this is a new situation. We all try to react as safe and sound as possible. I think every country is doing their best to deal with the situation.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. The Government does not seem able to make decisions based on logical reasoning, and the Prime Minister and his government shows no leadership. Given his total lack of empathy during the Bushfire crisis, and now his confused and contradictory response to Covid! I agree most countries are doing their best, but the inconsistencies is worrisome. Elections are going ahead her next weekend, in local municipalities. I will be taking my own pencil to make the form.

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      1. Yes, I remember the action/inaction on the bushfires. When there is no leadership it is difficult, and so frustrating. I understand. Surely he must call in experts? And elections at the same time? Like in the US then. Talking about inconsistencies…
        Wishing you well – all of you. We will ride it out in the end.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Of course, we WILL get through it. We are resilient. But the casualties may not be just from physical illness, and that worries me more.

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  6. I think most states in the US have closed schools, forbidden crowds to gather, and closed restaurant dining rooms. John and I are over 70, so we are trying to be very cautious. The restrictions affected us through our grandsons. David’s hours were cut drastically because he works at a fast food place. Nathaniel is coming to us today because his university closed. He will be with us for a week, then fly to stay with his dad. Here in North Carolina, we can gather in crowds smaller than 50 people. Our church is planning to have services on line. Since we are retired, our lives haven’t changed much. We are just waiting to see if anyone we know gets the virus.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Thanks for the summation of the situation near you, Anne. IT sounds like a lockdown without being a lockdown, similar to us, except for the schools. I hope that David is able to find alternative work. Are the supermarkets hiring like here? I hope you don’t know anyone who gets the virus! Take care!

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      1. David is concentrating on finishing one class for his degree, so he won’t look for another part time job. I don’t know if supermarkets are hiring here. That’s something to keep in mind for the boys. Thanks for the tip.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. In Finland our government acted late, but the measures are now quite strict. Schools and nurseries are open only to children of families who really need it. (nurses, doctors, police etc.) Office personnel should work remotely. (like I do)

    Our main problem is we test corona only when person is already seriously ill, and coming to hospital. And of course nurses and doctors will be tested too. But the thing is, nobody knows, how many corona cases we now know.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Thanks for keeping me in the loop in your area, Johanna. I am unsure of teh criterion for when folks are tested here. If you are asymptomatic and have returned from overseas you will not be randomly tested. I think it is wiser to close the schools, as even though children appear not so affected, they can and often spread it much more than adults, who can direct their sneezes with some accuracy.
      I suppose knowing the real number doesn’t help us anyway, unless it makes silly governments ( like ours ) sit up and take notice.
      Take care. Do you miss not being in the office?

      Liked by 1 person

  8. I’m astonished at the lack of cohesiveness in the decisions made by individual countries. Are they not getting together to study best practice? Citizens in Italy, Australia, UK, etc. etc are all being shepherded in different directions. But which is right? I know this is tough new territory, but working together might just help.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. I feel like there should be more uniformity or consistency, Margaret. However the critics to that statement so that it is a moving beast and the Government will adjust policy on a needs basis, ie. Governing day to day….. meanwhile the horse has bolted out of the stable, and down the road. And they will shut the gate when they realize.

      Liked by 1 person

      2. I have not heard that saying, Margaret, but I do feel that is right. Noone has any real guide book, other than what they did for the SARS epidemic.

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  9. Schools are still open?
    The very first sensible act done by my local govt here was to shutdown all schools and colleges, even when the suspected cases toll was lower than 5.

    Liked by 4 people

  10. You said: life feels like it’s on hold and I agree. I wonder how long people who are not accustomed to entertaining themselves will be able to remain sane when they can’t do things. I’m an introvert with a lonely only childhood so for me less has changed than for my extroverted friends. That being said, even I find it odd to look at my daily calendar and see nothing on it. Not one appointment or social event. Strange times.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I would not have picked you for an introvert, Ally. But you are welcome here. There are quite a few bloggers in our part of the blogosphere! I have a few social event coming up – one by one they are being cancelled. We are still actively at work though, so perhaps some feel okay about mixing. If the trajectory of the contagion continues to rise, we will not be moving around. Time will tell if we have done enough. Singapore’s measures are the ideal, I think. They have probably saved many lives. Does your state have particular restrictions?

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      1. We’ve been told to stay at home, venture out only for food &/or meds. Small local businesses are closed out in the suburbs where we live, but in the city restaurants and bars are allowed to offer carry-out. Mostly everything has screeched to a halt. The question is, for how long?

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Interesting feature of introverts in relation to COVID-19: “social distancing” has become both the latest catchphrase and a trend to prevent spread of the virus. Introverts such as myself have been practicing “social distancing” most of our lives! What’s an abrupt lifestyle change to most people is just normal behavior for we introverted personas.

        Liked by 2 people

  11. Husband and I are hunkered down and trying our best not to get on each other’s nerves 🙂 . Fortunately we have a yard so we can get out regularly for fresh air (when it’s not raining). The unknown is the worse. Even during horrible weather events, you can get updates on the size and trajectory of the storm. Yes, it does feel like we are on hold. Stay healthy!

    Liked by 4 people

    1. I intend to. We eat well and healthily, and I continue my daily yoga. Although I am going to incorporate some poses for boosting the immune system, nonetheless. Do you and your husband have your own interests/space?

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      2. You do sound similar to us. We also have separate offices/rooms/spaces, and I have various clubs and groups I am involved in. We have to limit the contact now with clubs and groups. I read the warnings of, “try not to touch your face,” and inexplicably, I suddenly have an itchy spot on my face that needs rubbing/scratching. If only they hadn’t mentioned that….

        Liked by 1 person

  12. The death toll here in the U.S. is rapidly approaching 200, and I’m certain it will exceed that unfortunate mark and possibly soar into the thousands soon. Two COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the region where I live – the Dallas / Fort Worth metropolitan area in northeast Texas. The DFW area is home to nearly 10 million people and a major international airport.

    One of the aforementioned deaths was an elderly man in a nursing home. This frightens me, as my mother has been in a rehabilitation facility / nursing home since late January; after suffering a mild stroke. She’s been recovering nicely, but I’m worried. The facility banned access to visitors last week, and I haven’t been able to see her. I contacted them last night (March 18) to say I needed to get her out and back home with me. I normally work out of the home anyway, plus I have a network of family and friends who can help me with her. The facility hasn’t responded to me as of now, but if necessary, I will force my way in there and extract my mother.

    Just moments ago the governor of the state of Texas issued an executive order that all restaurants be closed to in-house dining (take out is permitted); all bars, nightclubs and exercise facilities must also close. Gatherings of more than 50 people are banned. I’d like to see that latter requirement enforced!

    Millions of people across the U.S. are now technically unemployed (mainly in the food service industry), and health care workers are struggling to make do with limited and vanishing supplies. Only now is the president, Donald Trump, making a concerted effort to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, after weeks of denying or downplaying its severity.

    We are witnessing the best and worst of humanity in real time. I hope you and your loved ones are keeping as safe as possible, Amanda!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Thanks ever so much for your concern and best wishes for my family, Alejandro. I do fear for them. In fact, my daughter was just told she has no more work, although technically still employed for the foreseeable future. The hotel is all but empty, so no staff are needed. Flights into Australia are banned from Sunday, so no more overseas tourists. Things will get worse before they get better.
      I think it might be a good idea to bring your mother home. But when you go out to get food or supplies, will she be okay by herself?

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      1. I’ve been in direct communication with the facility and I’ll be able to retrieve her next Monday, March 23. That will give them enough time to process the required documentation and communicate with a home health service; the same one, in fact, that helped us last year, when my mother injured her shoulder. That will also give them (the rehab center) time to get a wheelchair. I have a walker and a cane here at the house. I also have a network of family and friends who can assist me. One of my first cousins (on my mother’s side of the family) is a social worker who lives nearby and is accustomed to dealing with elderly, disabled people. Her mother, my mother’s younger sister, lives with her. My mother and aunt are very close. When they get together, they both come alive and are quite colorful! If they were younger, I’m sure they’d be adventurous and almost dangerous. Any halfway decent-looking man would be fair game for them! LOL!

        Unfortunately, I don’t feel my mother has much time left. Aside from the January stroke, her memory remains faulty. Still, I vowed to my father that I’d care for her, if he should die first. He’s been gone for nearly 4 years, and I miss him more than any other person I’ve lost in my 56 years. I simply cannot renege on any promise I made to him.

        I’m saddened to learn of your daughter’s plight, Amanda. The hospitality industry is an essential vertebrae in the backbone of any community, so she must be consumed with worry and fright.

        Let’s just all hope and pray for the best in this ongoing calamity.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I appreciate your empathy, Alejandro. I hope there is some light at the end of the tunnel for her. This is none of her doing, so I do hope she can find a useful lesson in this. As Marlene said, it builds resilience. Her generation have had life very easy up til now. Well, not all of them, but it has been more comfortable for them than in days gone by.
        I am also glad to hear that you have sorted out your Mother’s living situation. I am sure she will be happier with you. And with the support network you have, you will not be alone in assisting her. Still it is a big commitment to take on an elderly person, even if it is one you love dearly. I was a nurse for the elderly, but I prize my alone time, so I would struggle to do this. You are a good son! And you are protecting her in a way the facility can’t do. All the best with her transition. Do you think she will find the move a little disorienting? Or be keen to leave?

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      3. Thank you for your concern, Amanda. Oddly, my mother thinks she’s been at home all this time. She also often confuses me with her younger brother who lives in another Dallas suburb. He just turned 80 this past January, and I’m concerned with his welfare also. I remain in contact with him, so he’s aware of my mother’s predicament. Her transition back to the house may be difficult, but I’ll see how it goes.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Good luck. I imagine trying to repeatedly correct/remind a patient with dementia must be incredibly frustrating for the patient and the carer.

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  13. Excellent post, Amanda ! Amongst its common-sensical points I particularly like your question “did your business, never ever clean your products or benches, door handles or ATM’s buttons before?”
    I went to the ancients’ Coles early hours shopping on Wednesday: it was almost a total waste of time as the shelves were stocked largely with lollies and crisps and sweet drinks – oh, and long-life lactose-free FULL CREAM milk. I’ve been drinking the low-fat version for well over five years; alas that the rest of the hoi polloi have discovered how nice it is. :\

    Liked by 3 people

  15. Well written, Amanda! 🙂 I’m annoyed at travelers spreading the disease everywhere and for their nonchalant attitude. Unnecessary travel, “it’s just a flu”, “but I really want to go”, “yay the flights are cheap now and the crowds are gone!”
    Our daycare is still open but I don’t feel comfortable leaving my boys there, exposed to corona and all the regular daycare germs which now can’t as easily be treated since doctors are busy/quarantined. (One of my boys just had a tummy bug all week – how stressful wishing that it would end without needing medical attention, luckily it finally did and he’s back to normal now). So this means I have to work from home with my two very active 3-year-olds screaming in my ear, climbing on me, and hitting my computer. Great….. but it still beats leaving them at daycare. School has closed but they are keeping daycare open so people won’t be tempted to ask the kids’ grandparents to babysit – to protect the grandparents. Over 70-year-olds are asked to stay at home altogether. Hubby is still going to work with public transport exactly like usual. Hope your daughter’s landlord has a heart and she gets some slack. Over here, random acts of kindness have made an appearance and they are ever so appreciated.
    Take care xoxo

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Not easy, any of it! Schools here are closed, but if you can’t work from home or afford leave, possibly without pay, who looks after the children? It can’t be us aged grandparents, can it? As a fit 71 year old I’d be happy to. The schools in England will close next week but the current ‘wisdom’ there is that I should self isolate for 12 weeks! I have a flight already booked for the Easter break but whether I will be on it I don’t yet know. The border to Spain is closed and flights seem chaotic, in trying to get people home.
    Many small businesses will fail, and possibly some larger ones. The season here is just starting, or would have been. It’s going to be a strangely silent Easter. Many of the measures here are precautionary, because Portugal is a small country and unable to cope with a huge influx into its hospitals. The aim is to slow the contagion down. You mention groups up to 100- here more than 5 is regarded as inappropriate, and I have been chastised for having 7 people in my home for a farewell to some friends.
    I wish I had the answers, Amanda, but I don’t envy anyone working in the supermarkets and I wholely admire our Healthcare workers.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. 12 weeks is pretty hard core, Jo. I agree with your sentiments and praise for the healthcare workers and retail workers, Jo. I think Portugal is wise to try to slow the contagion down. That is also the plan here, although I am unsure how is 100 people are allowed to gather together. The cynical me thinks that the PM wants this number allowed so that church services can go ahead – he is very devout and probably feels that prayer is useful to helping stem the spread of the virus. (NB. I don’t think that). How do families manage is there is more than 5 in the family?

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Ohh, damn. 😦 I hope you can go home soon, and kids can go home from school to their parents. Broccoli, really? I love it. As for rabbits, I love them too. In Slovenia quite many have kept rabbits for food since forever. We have many wild bunnies around here but I’d never consider catching them. Even though, one never knows.

    I have not been anywhere for about two weeks now, except on two short dog walks a day. Not even in a shop, since amore does that. He went today and said that some things were missing from the shelves but I didn’t notice. Tomorrow will be one week since he’s been off work. It’s been lovely.

    It seems that the virus has been moving towards and around Tuscany. We are hidden in the south of it and not many people come here. I hope it passes us by.

    I wish all well to you and your family. ❤

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I don’t think I will be eating any rabbits, although we did see a hare here when we first moved in. Poor thing ended up in the lake and couldn’t get out. 😦
      So you can see a movement of the virus in the number of cases, Manja?

      Liked by 1 person

  18. The media loves this pandemic; they are in a reporting frenzy because bad news is good for them. Nowhere have I read in commercial media or heard broadcast news of hope. There is hope. US companies are conducting mass trials of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. These drugs were used against Ebola. They are safe for human consumption. When countries across the globe close their borders, the curve of infection will start to flatten–hard to believe at the moment but it has happened in China. HUMANITY IS FIGHTING BACK! Don’t expect to hear that message in Murdoch’s press anytime soon.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I won’t hold my breath. The level of rot one hears from Murdoch’s minions is shocking, to say the least. They epitomise the term gutter press, preying on the misfortune of folks. What ever happened to objective balanced reporting of the facts? Is it so bad?

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  19. I failed to leave a comment after I read this and had to read it again, twice. I’m genuinely concerned for the economic hardship this is placing on so many. We as a whole, do not save for such events. I live month to month on SS and if they ever decide to cut it off, things could get ugly. Especially for us older people who can no longer work. It’s not much different for the younger generation. They don’t know how to plan for catastrophe either. We should all be practicing not living from paycheck to paycheck. I started the stocking up of supplies when I lived in California for so many years and the earthquakes shut down supplies lines for weeks. I will never run out of toilet paper nor will I ever hoard it. We have to share. I keep bottles of drinking water and tap water in case the plumbing gets shut off. It has here several times. We also need to keep in mind that what we do to the earth, we do to ourselves. Most of us know it but those that want to hoard their gold don’t care. We have the worst president in the short history of this country. I pray every day that we as a nation wise up. If not, I’m going elsewhere. Where? I don’t know yet. I don’t want to live with that for the rest of my life. We will learn something from this or pay again. There are big lessons here. I’m sorry you still have to go to the office but you have found a way to make the best of it. More podcasts and audible books. Yay! Hugs

    Liked by 4 people

    1. You make a valid point about having contigency plans to fall back on. I have taught my kids to always maintain emergency funds that they don’t touch, but they have spent these in the low income weeks. I suppose their back up plan is coming home. The second son has finally found ways around this and although funds are and always have been right for him, he now always gets by, independently. He is however, quite pessimistic about his future. Sad to see in a young person, even worse when it is your own child. Having said that, we lived through times of uncertainty in our lives, and life is generally much better, than centuries gone by. A long as we learn, adapt and care for our environment. It doesn’t matter if we don’t have the latest thing, or if we reduce our food intake a little. The planet will thank us.

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  23. Great post. So sad the loss of lives & also so sad, the panic. Australia itself produces so much if people only realised how much there would be no panicking here. So sad that humanity lives in such fear & so quick to do so. People are actually trying to return products now as they realise maybe its not as bad as they think. We are all good in our little area although disgusted with the loads of tourists coming into rural areas for the sole purpose of raiding our little already depleted little supermarkets thus spreading the strain on our economy & health.
    I cant help but notice the positives in all this look at how our air quality & water ways are improving & nature is healing itself & putting on a grand show in different countries. I just pray that when this is all over that people stop & think about how we can keep up this beautiful show of health from nature (learn from it) & we all appreciate what we have on our very door steps, Is more than enough to live long healthy happy lives.

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  24. I can’t believe it’s taken our Government so long to make the decision to close our schools. And even the universities. My 19yo son in his first year at Melbourne Uni has been doing all his lectures online but two weeks ago he was in a lecture theatre and subsequently found out the lecturer later tested positive for the virus. Needless to tell you how we’re feeling. 😒
    I’m afraid that Australia has left its run a bit late but I continue to hope and pray that we’ll come through this. In time. Stay safe and well.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Why have they waited? Supposedly because it is going to get worse. And they don’t want schools closed for too long? It is lucky your son can use online delivery methods. My daughter just lost her job. She is 20. It is hard times for them but each will come out of this a more resilient person.

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    2. They really are running scared of what will happen in the community if the schools need to stay closed. They were waiting for the peak to close the schools, but didn’t seem to realize that children are in contact with parents, parents with children who pass the virus unwittingly to other kids and thence on to other parents. It is simple logic, but they dismissed this…..
      I do hope your son is clear – and he was sitting in the rear of the lecture. It is such a worry for us.

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  28. It is a tough time for everybody, I hope everyone recovers from the illness soon. I wrote a small blog post on the cardiovascular implications of covid 19. Have a look yourself, information is power.

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  29. Meanwhile, here in the U.S., the chaos continues, as we’ve now exceeded 40,000 deaths from COVID-19. Our hospitals and health care workers are overwhelmed and drained of energy. But they’re still fighting through the mess and still urging people to stay home. However, that’s just not sitting well with right-wing ideologists who have taken to streets around the country and demanded governors re-open things NOW!

    Naturally, our faux president is urging them, as he has set some timelines for the country to get back to business as normal. He keeps forgetting not everything responds to a business-like agenda. Certainly not a viral pandemic. He initially suggested things could return to its daily routines by Easter. Then he suggested by May 1 and is now sticking to that date. His supporters concur with him, as they grab their guns and American flags to march on state capitals and in city streets. None of them want to heed the advice of medical professionals. Dr. Anthony Fauci who is front and center of this crisis has already said viruses don’t react to human-designated timelines. And some of those deranged protestors are calling for his termination!

    None of these fools, including Trump, realize this isn’t a stupid reality TV show and it’s not a hotel or casino. The disease is going to do what it wants and stop only when we finally get control of it. The social distancing measures have proven effective so far. Relaxing them now would probably be disastrous.

    I’m tempted to say, what the hell! Let those who want to go out and get back to normal do it and – if they get sick – don’t rush to the nearest hospital expecting to be treated like fine crystal. But they’ll probably infect other people along the way; people who definitely want to return to work also, yet shouldn’t and probably wouldn’t want to otherwise.

    The U.S. is now the epicenter of the pandemic, and the year isn’t even half over. I’m concerned for those in the Southern Hemisphere, especially Brazil whose president is as arrogant, right-wing and clueless as ours. I know full well winter is fast approaching the South. Then, for us in the North, we have fall and winter at the end of this year. Hopefully, the U.S. will have a new set of leaders by then. But we could still see a COVID resurgence later this year.

    Wish us well.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I’m staying inside as much as possible – mainly because of my allergies. I’ve never worn a mask or gloves when I’ve gone out, but I’ve maintained a respectable distance (not problematic or unusual for me anyway) and I’m careful when I touch things. I wash my hands and face regularly, make good use of hand sanitizer, and frequently wipe down door and refrigerator handles – again, not problematic or unusual for me.

        The U.S. COVID-19 death toll has now reached the 50,000 mark. At that rate, we’ll reach 100,000 by September. That would put the death toll on par with the 1968 Hong Kong mortality level in the U.S. The SARS and MERS pandemics didn’t hit the U.S. very hard.

        Aside from reading, writing, exercise and wine, I have few things to keep me busy. But I don’t ask for or need much. I still long for a dog, though!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Sensible you! Incorporating basic health hygiene into your life. I wish more would follow suit and then we wouldn’t have the issues of secondary superinfections.
        Sars and Mers were almost unknown here and we continued our lives undeterred by these illnesses. And you of course have a much larger population so will increased mortality is not that surprising. The level of that mortality and whether it could be declined is the question. It sounds like your government figures that it will be the more elderly, the homeless and the poverty stricken who will be affected so did not stress too early on about it. But I do get the message from Americans, that they are scared. Some are terrified.
        Your activities in this epidemic I condone!
        Reading Writing and Wine sounds perfect. I am with you on the exercise as long as it involves yoga or walking!
        What is holding you back from getting another Schnauzer? Could you rescue one?

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Yes, I’ve thought heavily about adopting or even fostering another dog. I even put in an application to a local animal shelter for adoption, but I never heard back. I couldn’t bring myself to get another mini schnauzer because – as with the German shepherd I had in my youth – I would probably constantly be comparing the new animal to the previous one.

        Right now, though, I don’t feel like I’m in the proper position to bring any pet into my life. My mother’s health is very fragile, and I’m trying to do upgrades to the house. An animal takes a lot of time and energy. It’s worth the trouble and expense, but for me, not at present.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. I do get that. Priorities! You are right, I often compare my current Schnauzer with the previous one, who was a standard. To me, though, each dog is different and advantages/disadvantages. But I cannot bear the thought of not having a dog in my life. We are, in the next few months about to get a puppy, so I might say something different then. I have not had a puppy for 28 years! They are a lot of work, but this will be my daughter’s puppy and she will eventually move out again after her job stabilizes after the pandemic. Hope your Mum is doing okay.

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  30. It’s the same in Japan – kindergartens remain open despite the fact that kids aren’t less susceptible to this pandemics. Just read about a 4-year old kid who died in Jamaica. For once governments need to put the lives of people over the interest of the politics and the state of the economy.

    Liked by 2 people

  32. I posted on mental heath check during quarantine check it out and maybe your suggestions can be taken into consideration . Come talk about your feelings and emotions in the comments .

    Liked by 1 person

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