Two weeks ago today I was in Washington DC with my two college aged kids. We were blissfully unaware tourists, enjoying Spring Break. We strolled along the Mall, climbed the steps to the Lincoln Memorial, took a guided tour of the Capitol and Library of Congress, and watched President Trump hop on Marine One at the White House and fly literally directly over us. We toured Smithsonian after Smithsonian, dined out at great restaurants, and generally enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing vacation.
Fast forward to today. Two short weeks later! (A mere fortnight!) We are now in virtual lockdown; there is a voluntary (but STRONGLY encouraged) quarantine in our country. All of us hiding from (and fighting against) a faceless enemy, a new virus called COVID-19.
Our government is scrambling on all fronts: trying to keep the economy moving, alleviating financial burdens for the countless people who have already lost their jobs, and fighting a brand new virus that NO ONE has a natural immunity from and NO ONE has experienced before. Luckily, it appears that COVID-19 isn't as contagious as measles, but it is far more contagious (and deadly) that the annual influenza we deal with every Fall and Winter.
So, what does all this mean? Well, for me personally, my day to day has not sufferance a huge adjustment. My job is already 100% work-from-home, however my business has slowed down dramatically. I hope my job is secure (especially since my husband is disabled and hasn't worked in years) but candidly, I can't be sure. My children each have jobs dealing with the public: my son works for Walmart; he is busier now than ever. I remind him daily to WASH YOUR HANDS. He just smiles at me and rolls his eyes, but he does take it seriously. My daughter is a server at Pappadeaux; she just started this job two weeks ago so her future there is completely uncertain. Their client base has fallen off substantially and they may well close down until this crisis ends.
The people I worry most about are, of course, my elderly parents. My mother is 80 and although her health is relatively good for her age, she does have asthma and A-fib. My dad is 90 and in assisted living; his health is not good. His assisted living home is on full lockdown. No visitors; no exceptions. I've managed to reach him on his cell phone but he sounds exhausted and depressed and he can't hear me. Modern technology is frequently frustrating for the elderly.
Most of the nation's schools are closed down for at least a month; some have already announced they will not re-open until the Fall. High school and college seniors are having to forego commencement ceremonies and all the fun that comes from publicly celebrating that huge milestone. Some cities are experiencing borderline martial law. (San Francisco, for example, is on full lockdown and has a curfew.)
The way the virus is affecting people differs dramatically. Some people (especially younger and healthier) are experiencing something akin to a cold. But those who are older, immune-suppressed or have underlying health complications (like diabetes) are having bad outcomes. This virus is fatal in between 3% - 7% of the cases, from what I am reading. Italy let the virus get a head start on them and they have experienced horrible outcomes. Not enough doctors and not enough ventilators. All of Italy (and I believe now France and Spain as well) is on lockdown.
My daughter was planning a Summer Semester in France; that clearly has been cancelled now. The trips we'd planned for this Summer (Yosemite? Grand Canyon?) will most likely be cancelled as well.
I realize this, like every other crisis, will indeed pass. Even the most violent storm eventually dissipates. Right now though, it feels very frightening.
And to think - how quickly things change.
