Life in the Age of Corona
A Daily Diary
Monday, August 3rd, 2020
The Storm that wasn't
For days now there have been discussions about a hurricane making landfall, the reason why Florida stopped testing. Well said hurricane by-passed Florida, so I guess they can start testing again, and is now headed to the Carolinas. It was forecast to pass through DC at noon. Given I had a 12:00-14:00 call, I relocated the office inside after covering up all the outside furniture and then nothing happened. It stayed humid, but no rain, no storm. The rain did not start until 17:00 still no sign of a storm, just even steady rain which is forecast to last until tomorrow afternoon. I hope that at least they get right as we are scheduled for practice in the park at 19:00 tomorrow by which point in time this storm had better moved on.
The Listserv is engaged in a discussion about tortoises since someone posted a picture of an animal wanting to know what it is. This has led to a flurry of posts. Firstly, identifying the creature as a common box tortoise, and secondly, some rather funny comments about moving it back to the creek causing objections by others claiming the tortoise was engaged in a race with one of the local rabits. Nice to see that people have retained their sense of humor despite the mess we live in.
I read to today that Sweden’s policy, which largely asked citizens to act responsibly rather than pursuing a prescribed lock down, seems to have been as effective as the policies of other European countries which enforced more stringent closures of all non essential businesses and schools. Noteworthy that the entire European Economic Zone, which is the EU+ UK+ Switzerland, Lichtenstein and Norway has roughly 10% of new daily infections (~7k) of what the USA (~66k) reports during the current spike.
The USA accounts for 1/20th of the world population, but for ¼ of the world’s infections (4.78 of 18 million today) and 1/5th of the worlds dead (158k of 691k). The USA has 5 times as many infected ( 1.350) per 100.000 inhabitants than Germany (250). Even the administration now acknowledges its inability to control the virus and is preparing for over 300k dead by November and 173k by end of August, basically adding 15k in the coming three weeks. This is not unrealistic seeing currently some 1200 people died in the USA yesterday (though today “only” “452”died). As some States have stopped reporting, the number likely far higher. The reason for high and increasing infections is always the same: no social distancing, no masks, indoor gatherings, large crowded parties. What is it with this country and the unprecedented level of stupid and / or selfishness exhibited? If people cannot be controlled, at least exercise some self-control! But the idea of a greater common good is just not in the DNA of the average American. An approach like Sweden took, or even like Europe which largely relied on people doing the right thing, will just never work in a country this egocentrical; correction “free” because causing harm to other is of course not that, it is exercising ones right to be free.
Reopening schools in this environment is just delusional! Georgia set to start August 12 tests its staff and finds over 260 tested positive, and that is even before schools have opened their doors. Just imagine how this will explode when throwing students into the mix! In a school system the size of Montgomery County, if only 5% of the students tested positive, that would be 7.500 cases. Imagine each of these being in close contact with just their one best friend and we are at 15.000. These 15.000 go home to their parents. Let me assume there are no siblings and no grandparents. Just with the parents the number of potentially infected goes up to 60.000; just for one day at school. Does anyone in the administration actually do this simple kind of math?
