From CDC.gov

My last Covid entry, back in June 2020, was just a short entry about how coronavirus and all that was impacting me.

In this entry – now that we are a little deeper into the pandemic and know a little more about same – I’ll be dividing this entry to 1) how it is affecting me, 2) My current opinions – big picture – about coronavirus & 3) Here are my, today, Coronavirus truths

How Coronavirus is affecting me

• Not yet a hardship to me: I’m not a very social animal, so the whole social distancing, not going clubbing or to the gym doesn’t impact me. I fully understand that it affects others differently, but I’ll admit that I’m on the low end of the “it’s annoying” scale.
• I don’t personally know anyone with COVID-19: Not a brag, just a fact. The last stats I read about this was somewhere between 20%-33% of Americans personally know someone that has had (or has) COVID-19. I guess me and my acquaintances are lucky/fortunate.
• Not going to Starbucks: Brew own coffee; not the end of the wold but difference in my heahavior.
• Not working from home: From late March through early July 2020, my office did a rotation where only one person was in the office on any given day. With Illinois rates soaring, we may have to go back to this, but not there yet. And I’m fortunate – working from home (basically on a computer with an occasional Zoom call) is no biggie for me one way or another (in/out of office).
• We did not take a vacation this year: I have not left the state; Romy visits her Dad/siblings occasionally in Indiana.
• We have not eaten out nor gone to a bar locally: We have done take-out locally (which I encourage to help restaurants especially the non-chains); Romy has eaten outdoors in Indiana.
• I always wear a mask…: In any store, when I’m in a car with someone besides Romy, always around my Dad (he’s 90+ and has/had respiratory issues). We don’t wear them at work because we have 3- to 3 1/2 people well-separated. I don’t get the whole non-mask religion (more on that below).
• This is not a year I’d want to repeat visa-vi the pandemic: Seems obvious, but some folks (again, see below) seem to be doing their damnedest to prolong this “hoax” (it isn’t).
• Do NOTHING: to my first point, I’m not a social animal, so doing nothing is easier for me, but this should have been a year of (amped-up) Lee – of doing nothing. Virus can’t transmit to folks who are not there. Read a book; take a walk; Netflix and chill.

My current opinions – big picture – about coronavirus

Coronavirus has become a political hot potato.

A “hoax.”

Something that is no worse than the flu, will be gone in few days, by Easter, when it gets hot or whatever.

And the divisions between those who believe those last two sentences and who don’t are a divide between those who put politics above science and those who trust science over politics.

For the record, I believe in (sound, replicated) science, even over however unfortunately the (possibly new) science impacts my gut/political beliefs.

One of the “science” touchstones is to socially distance, no large gathering (birthdays, graduation parties, Christmas parties and so on).

Does this suck?

Absolutely.

But let’s take a look at one smallish gathering that occurred in Maine in August 2020 (from LA Times [firewall], h/t: daringfireball.net):

Karen Kaplan, science and medicine editor for The L.A. Times:

If you want to know why public health officials are so nervous about how much worse the COVID-19 pandemic will get as the holiday season unfolds, consider what happened after a single, smallish wedding reception that took place this summer in rural Maine.

Only 55 people attended the Aug. 7 reception at the Big Moose Inn in Millinocket. But one of those guests arrived with a coronavirus infection. Over the next 38 days, the virus spread to 176 other people. Seven of them died.

None of the victims who lost their lives had attended the party.

It sounds cold, but the attendees of that wedding killed those people. If you’re planning a “small” family get-together for Thanksgiving, it’s every bit as irresponsible as planning a “short” drunk drive.

Sobering.

Here are my, today, Coronavirus truths. Mock me as you see fitting:

• Coronavirus IS a pandemic: Duh, but some still see it as a hoax (really???)
• The science on coronavirus: believe the scientists/doctors: At the first peak of this pandemic, in April, the death rate was high. We’re – as a country/globe – getting better at treating patients. So, while the number of cases has risen (in July 2020) and skyrocketed (November 2020), the overall deaths per [date unit] has gone down. Good!
• The science on coronavirus: It may/probably will change. Don’t treat each new nugget of covid info as “they [who are they?] didn’t want to release that until [something].” Look at the previous point – science/doctors getting better at keeping deaths lower. No push back from the “hoaxers” about this.
• We still need federal leadership: By this, I mean getting the federal government to set standards (that can be overridden at state/local level) about how schools can open, gyms should close etc. Standards, dammit!
• We still need federal leadership/money: By foisting all this on the states (which led to, among other things, states bidding against each other for masks, PPE etc.), smaller (often Republican-leaning) states were at a disadvantage: Sure, California and New York will battle over masks, and Utah will never win. States have to balance their budgets; the Federal Government does not. Utah (and Idaho, Alabama…) can’t compete with NY, CA, IL….
• Wear a fucking mask: Yeah, some hate wearing pants, but still…no pants, no mask, no service.
• Federal leadership – shut it down: Right now, I’m in favor if a total shutdown if in-door bars and restaurants and gyms. These are nice to have, not needed. The federal government – which CAN afford this – should pay the bars, restaurants and gyms to shut down (but keep them alive with federal funding). I’m not the only idiot to suggest this.
• The science seems to favor opening schools (k-8): Close bars, open K-8 schools.

I get the pandemic fatigue, but this is a real issue.

You can’t “I’m tired/bored” out of this. Did you read the Maine example, above?

But this is what we are seeing.

And why COVID numbers are spiking.

My one big COVID take-away, that I’ve been saying to anyone who would listen since maybe April (re-emphasizing above):

This is the year we do NOTHING.

No vacations, no gatheringes.

Does it suck?

Yes.

Is it necessary?

Yes.

All I gots at the moment.