Very Scary Stuff Going Down

Well, today, shit got real.  This is the day that the US started to take things seriously.

I’m writing this more for posterity, than for information, so if you’re bored, please move on.

I noticed when China was struggling, but when Italy got overran and the virus seemed to go out of control there, I started to worry.  I brought this up with my ex, who is currently in Illinois with the kids while I’m in Arizona taking care of Mom.  I asked him to be sure to get enough supplies to cover for a couple of weeks if they get ill or have to quarantine.  He told me to chill out, not to worry.  I told Mom how I was growing a bit concerned about it and thought we probably need to stock up a bit more on some things, following the CDC recommendations to have a two week supply of food and staples.  She thought I was overreacting.  After that, I thought, I’ll just keep this to myself as they think I’m crazy.

Then yesterday happened. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the Corona virus a pandemic.  The president addressed the concerns and shut down travel to/from Europe.  Today, the shit hit the fan.  The NBA and March Madness has been cancelled.  The stock market has crashed, large gatherings like the Chicago St. Patrick’s day celebration have been cancelled, Stadiums have cancelled events, Broadway has closed, Disneyland has just closed, and as for us, Joe’s State Wrestling Championship has cancelled, and his school has decided to switch to e-learning this next week following with Spring break after that.  School will, hopefully, resume on April 6^th.  Certainly, there’s more to come.

The only mercy in all of this, is that the virus doesn’t seem to be as hard on younger people.  Older people, though, and those with ‘underlying health issues’ (me!) are more affected. 

I am scared, but not panicked.  There is a difference.

I don’t like being so far away from those I love (Mom is visiting relatives in Indiana and I’m still in AZ with the kids in IL). 

The last time there was panic like this in the US was after 911, and that was different.  We were scared of bad people.  These are bad germs.  Airport screening and a vigilant, if not racist, eye will not keep these germs out.  They are here, they are incubating, they are coming.  I heard one statistic that is predicting a third of Americans will get the virus.  That is over 100 million people.  So far, there is a 2% rate of death.  That is over 2 million dead in the US alone.  Those are scary numbers, but they are predictions, not fact.  It’s still scary.

People are going crazy, buying out toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and soap.  The roads on the way in to work this morning were surprisingly empty.  People are cancelling vacation plans, and those that can work from home are.  Even my email at work today was very slow, not much coming in.  It’s all unfolding like this odd origami flower, showing different levels of intolerance, fear, and anxiety.    What will happen?  Hopefully, this all blows over and those blowhards among will laugh at how ‘crazy’ we all got.  I hope that happens, because the alternative is still, very, scary.