For a week I’ve been waiting for a break in the Coronavirus/Covid-19 news cycle to catch my breath and write a few words, but there hasn’t been one. Every hour, there’s a new headline. Every day, things are a little worse.
Last week I felt like our local school district was being overly cautious by closing school on the Friday before spring break. Before the end of the weekend, school had closed through April 6. Every day since then has been a rolling tsunami of updates, changes, rules, warnings, and fear.
Oklahoma has remained a few days behind larger, more populated cities. Sunday, New York City made the decision to close all movie theaters, night clubs, concert venues, and restricted all restaurants, bars, and cafes to take-out and delivery only. In Oklahoma, the biggest change implemented that day was all Starbucks closed their dining rooms, changing to carry out and drive-thru service only. Two days after the east and west coasts did so, Oklahoma City followed suit and began closing restaurants, bars, and other gathering places. That evening, I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by eating ravioli and drinking wine coolers.
On Wednesday, Susan and I (stir crazy from sitting around the house) visited a friend after work. On the way home we drove through Yukon, which has “highly encouraged local restaurants, bars, businesses and organizations to impose social distancing measures.” At 8 p.m., Yukon was a ghost town, save for the long lines we saw at a few fast food drive-thrus. It was eerie to see restaurant dining rooms and strip malls dark so early. On Thursday, malls and casinos began to close.
By the end of my shift on Thursday, I knew three people who had contracted Coronavirus. Susan knew five. Thursday morning, the US saw a 45% increase in the number of infections. Over the next few days, I suspect we will know more. Currently, being diagnosed mostly means having flu symptoms and testing negative for the flu and strep throat, at which point you are informed that there no tests available for coronavirus and you are sent home and told to act like you have it.
My current work schedule allows me to work home three days a week, and based on the current situation, I believe I’ll be working from home full time for the next few weeks. These are unprecedented times, and things will most certainly get worse before they get better. If I don’t shake your hand or break bread with you in the foreseeable future, just know that I’m doing it for both of us.
Thursday evening, California issued an order asking residents to stay in their homes, leaving only when necessary. According to CNN, “it will remain in place until further notice.”
But that won’t happen here, right?
For me, I’m home bound anyway so not much has changed… I have an appointment Tuesday with my pain management provider of which I will not be going to the office for my monthly visit… the LAST place I want to be is at a doctor’s office filled with people who could potentially be a carrier of this dreaded virus… with my immune system being compromised the way it is, I avoid potential hotbeds of infections like the plague! (Pun intended) ᕦ(ò‿ó)ᕤ but even I am Beginning to feel the pains of the isolation that is being imposed upon us… I pray this is over with soon and that when it is, we learn from it! I can’t help but think that this virus was released on purpose by the Chinese government. Something just continues to rub me the wrong way with this one…