Corona Virus Diary #2

Corona Virus Diary #2

All across the world the virus is raging. It is still in the exponential stage so at least for a few weeks it will continue growing. Here in Vancouver (and all of Washington and Oregon) we only supposed to leave our homes for necessaries like food at grocery stores. Restaurants often are doing take out or delivery only. Most parks are closed but those that are open can only be reached by car which technically would be illegal.

I’m taking long walks from my apartment to nowhere just to get out and a modicum of exercise. There is not much to see on these walks but they are much quieter. There are less cars on the road and construction is considered non-essential. That is a relief. There is much to noise wherever I am so any diminishing of it is welcome by me.

The republican president and his well-stocked senate are sending all Americans $1,200.00 as well as many benefits for the unemployed. They also are earmarking the larger portion of the two trillion dollar bailout for business. All of this money is coming from government coffers since the business community will not be providing assistance. Commerce and industry will be receiving it. Adam Smith would be rolling in his grave as would all of those gainsayers of programs like the New Deal.

The POTUS has been giving daily updates on television regarding the virus. He is doing what is his trademark and that is to obfuscate with absurdities and falsehoods. The medical coordinator for the country Dr. Anthony Fauci has to walk back idiotic things our commander in chief spouts and yet be loyal to him simultaneously. I think it is safe to say that Dr. Fauci will be heard from less and less in coming days. It is just like Mike Pence who as always, stands mute and loyal gaze upon the president, his master while the president does all the talking.

Perhaps the worst lie of all goes something like this, “We were blindsided, and this came out of nowhere”. Despite the fact that the entire genome for the disease was shared in February, China provided regional updates at least as far back as January. Meanwhile after significant budget cuts for NIH and CDC that have come during the tenure of this POTUS, rendered those health organizations behind the 8 Ball of what they knew would be coming. Much has been written about potential pandemics over the last 10 years. David Quammen’s Spillover outlined the details of how the pandemic would work and was recently interviewed in Orion magazine to re-affirm that we cannot say we were caught unawares.

All of this should surprise none of us. We have known who won the electoral vote in 2016 for nearly 4 years. We know that telling the truth is meaningless. We also have known that the Senate republicans were going to jump off a bridge in order to show their loyalty to both POTUS and their party at the cost of patriotism or love of country.

At any rate I am inconvenienced at worst and healthy. As I write this I can say the same for friends and families. I am also feeling optimistic that with the restrictions we are living with, that somewhere around May first our lives will return to normal. We will have received our $1,200.00 and will spend much less as entertainment venues have already been shut down for nearly 2 weeks.

Not that many people are in better condition than I am right now.