– The Buddha
The novel coronavirus strain know as COVID-19 originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019 and this month it has been labeled a pandemic - when the outbreak/epidemic of a particular virus or disease spreads beyond a specific region to impact the entire world - by the World Health Organization. Today cases are reported in virtually every country and it continues to spread exponentially.
I returned home from a two-week road trip to Ohio on March 8 to learn that three cases had been reported here in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and these individuals had been quarantined for a period of up to two weeks. Unfortunately, they had contact with others here and in Philadelphia before they tested positive for the coronavirus. Since then the number of cases in the region has jumped to 96 and presently doubling approximately every 48 hours.
I need not repeat what most engaged people already know about the impact of the pandemic both in the USA and abroad. It’s just about all we read and hear about. Much of social media is also dedicated to personal reactions to the outbreak. Schools, are closing, events postponed or cancelled, and sport seasons suspended. Broadway has shuttered as have cinemas. Bars, clubs and restaurants have closed either voluntarily or my official fiat. The Maryland legislature has adjourned early the first time since the Civil War.
Nor am I going to go into the debate on whether official responses in this country are up to the task. Let me just say that, in my humble opinion, the Trump regime has failed across the board, mostly due to his inability to comprehend the scope of the crisis and unwillingness to listen to experts who know far more than he. He is more interested in placing blame on others than showing true leadership when. People will die, victims to his unchecked narcissism and hubris, and the unwillingness of experts to call "bullshit" to his ignorance and pathological lying. As of yesterday, the epidemic is this country was reported to be present in 49 of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. The number of confirmed cases in the USA rose to 3,802, with 69 deaths. America deserves so much more than we are getting. Thankfully, some individual states and local jurisdictions are acting responsibly in the absence of a coordinated federal response.
Unfortunately there are many who have decided not to take this outbreak seriously, and in doing so they risk the chance of infection, as well as spreading it to others. Even if a personal reaction to the virus proves insignificant, it is possible to infect others, including family and friends, for whom it would be critical, even fatal.
My wife and I have decided to self-isolate/quarantine in order to protect ourselves (we have underlying medical conditions that could put us at risk) and to avoid any chance of transmitting the virus to others. We have postponed all immediate travel plans. We are taking all of the advised precautions and I urge others to do so. If you haven’t started, please do so now. Our larder is full and we are well-stocked in books and movies to help pass the hours. We stay in touch with friends by telephone, and through the mails and social media. And I am finding plenty of time to work on my novel and other writing projects.
Who knows what will happen in the coming days, weeks, and months. I fear things will get far worse before they get better. I want to remind everyone that we are all in this together. The coronavirus is no one’s fault even as many of the officials in Washington classify it as a foreign virus perpetrated on the United States by China and Europe. Viruses have no nationality and know no borders. Travels bans will not protect us; The coronavirus is in the United States.
Let’s stop trying to assess blame and work together to combat this viral pandemic. The good of the many outweigh the good of the few. Take care of yourself, but be concerned for your neighbors, your friends and colleagues, your fellow citizens, and all of humanity.
Namaste
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