Seattle is
not a ghost town as I saw reported recently. But it is, well, quieter. People are staying home out of an abundance of caution or because they have no choice. So many business and social activities have been cancelled that there's nowhere to go. Tech industry workers and others are being given the option (or order) to telecommute.
We seem to be Ground Zero in the U.S. for the Covid-19 corona virus. In fact the very first person diagnosed in the U.S. was hospitalized about 3 miles from where I'm writing right now.
At first it seemed like a weird, scary, but still sort of "not my problem" story. Mostly this was a China thing -- it started there and people who had it had been traveling there. Some were stuck on a cruise ship, but those floating petri dishes often have outbreaks of horror. I don't travel to Asia and I'm not a cruiser. No problem.
But as viruses do, it spread. Suddenly people were diagnosed who had NOT traveled nor been near others they knew had traveled. It seemed to just be springing up in the general population with no way to determine why some people were catching this bad bug. And those who were diagnosed were really sick. And some died. And there is no vaccine. No cure. No way of stopping it.
This morning I read in USA Today that there are 100,000 diagnosed cases worldwide; 233 in the United States. There are 39 cases confirmed in Washington State -- 31 in King Co. (Seattle) and 8 in the county where I live. Deaths worldwide stand at 3,400; 12 in the United States with 10 of those in Washington, due to an outbreak in a long-term health facility for older adults. In the grand scheme these numbers are not huge and can be brushed aside -- unless you or a loved one falls into this group of unfortunate souls. But the fear is that this could continue to spread and become much, much worse. So we are all getting very, very nervous.
State health officials have advised staying out of large groups of people, so events and meetings are being cancelled left and right. Schools are closing when anyone is diagnosed, or even in contact with another who has been diagnosed. The University of Washington has suspended all in person classes until end of term on March 20. The local medical clinics are greeting every single patient outside their doors with hand sanitizer and a list of screening questions before they can enter. People are cancelling trips to avoid airline travel, hotels, theme parks, and tourist sites.
Store shelves are empty of hand sanitizer, bottled water, and toilet paper. I get the sanitizer (people have resorted to making their own -- recipes online proliferate). I don't understand the water (is our water supply at risk?) nor the TP (a historically recent convenience, but OK, now seen as a necessity.) N-95 particulate masks are being hoarded, in the belief that these will protect the wearer from catching the virus. They likely won't because most people don't wear them properly. The result is that health care facilities, who really do need them, are in short supply, putting patients and providers at greater risk.
Everywhere you go people are talking about the virus and what to do.
The CDC and Health Departments are advising hand washing (for at least 20 seconds with lots of lather -- sing Happy Birthday to estimate 20 seconds), don't touch your own face (to keep the virus from invading through eyes, nose, or mouth), stay at least 6 feet away from people (no more hugging or handshaking), stay home if you are feeling ill. Older adults (over 60) and those with underlying health issues are at greatest risk.
I questioned that "over 60" thing (I'm healthy! So what if I'm 69?) until it was explained to me that just the fact of being older weakens our immune systems. But don't panic. (Sure. Tell that to a person who has health anxiety, even with no pandemic in the headlines.)
Mostly I'm "keeping calm and carrying on" with lots of deep breathing and obsessive hand washing. I rarely touch a public surface with my bare hands anyway. (Not germaphobia! Common sense!) And I don't like large crowds. But avoiding all people while living a normal, non-quarantined life is a challenge. I went to the Y this week and to my yoga class and had the family over for dinner. Hub went to Costco and god knows what is in the air there besides some invisible urging to impulse buy. Some are advising me to "self-quarantine" by avoiding groups over 10 people in number, which has been recommended by the experts. I don't know...I'll think about it.
What I do know is this is contributing to an ongoing sense of unease over so many things --
--the ongoing political shit-show that is the United States right now (won't even go into the many ways in which our current government is completely unable to effectively communicate about or respond to this virus crisis);
--the fact that the most diverse field of Democratic presidential candidates in history has come down to two pushing-80 white men, leaving me to mourn again the strongest, most capable candidate (a woman) dropped out yesterday. (Thank you Elizabeth Warren...next time!);
--the planet seems to be melting, drowning and suffocating us;
and on the personal front:
--confronting that I am aged into a high risk group for no reason other than years lived;
--Hub is suffering more and more from a shoulder issue that puts another major joint replacement surgery sooner rather than later on the horizon (just when his knee has healed from last year's surgery!),
--and I'm still not eating sugar which would, if I was, make all of this so much easier and better for as along as my hot fudge sundae lasted.
So, what to do? Well, my mantra is: breathe, breathe, breathe, persist.
At least, that's the view from here...©
Photo Credit: www.pixabay.com
