Life in the Age of Corona

A Daily Diary

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

Made Up

Much to my relief EM and I made up today. I think the prolonged silence was as hard on her as it was on me. When I meandered down to the kitchen to make coffee at 5:30 before my 6:00 call I found a note from her. She was truly sorry and truly confused. She did notice I was upset or angry, but could not really fathom why. That hit home and I felt very sorry for her. So in my way I explained to her how I had felt on Sunday and why I was so upset.

The current situation is hard on all of us and we all need to be more mindful of each other and each others feelings is my key take away from this experience. I am so glad we are good again and things in our household have returned to normal. EM is planning a sleepover with her friend. I just let her know I rather she do that with her boyfriend, he seems to be a much better influence on her from what I can tell than J. Nonetheless, I do want to help and support her. She is super stressed with school, where in all subjects they are at least a month if not more behind on what ought to be taught.

At the same time, it has just hit home for her what scores she will need to make it into her preferred universities, which is not reducing the stress. Time to hunker down, I guess. Of course, I will do what I can to help her, including retaining an armada of tutors – if I can find any that is. So far I have not had any response to my search for one (IB History, IB Environmental Sciences).

Tonight holds a promise of entertainment as the book club will meet yet again, some joining virtually, others in person. In line with the book “Fever” by Laurie Halse Anderson I have made contemporary  1793 food, not quiet a mutton stew, but a stew none the less using the vegetables the protagonist finds in her garden. Some green beans, some potatoes a beet and a carrot. I have cooked a nice beef broth on the bone and used the meat of the bone for the stew.

I have also decided I will buy those flights. We need to get out of here. This Virus business is taking a toll on all of us. Can it please be over soon? Can we please go back to normal?

Instead numbers continue to rise. The USA is adding roughly 750 cases per day to the previous day’s total count. 85.56 million of the 41 million global cases can be attributed to the USA. Infections are increasing even in States which have previously managed well. Alaska has implemented the most testing of all states in the USA as well as rigorous contact tracing to keep infections down; and successfully so. Now new infections are rising at an alarming rate. This is not only because people are tired of restrictions, but also due to the weather. It appears the virus thrives in colder weather, spreading and multiplying faster.

Meanwhile CDC has expanded it guidelines on close contact, tightening the definition. Wondering how that will impact GoP Senators.

While Life in the Age of Corona is set to continue for an indefinite period of time, Maryland and Virginia have shared vaccine distribution plans with CDC. The priorities as may have been expected: health care workers, educators, elderly and people with risks of complications. This does not follow the recommendation of scientific findings to vaccinate the age group 39-55 first as these are the most active and hence the most likely to be exposed to and carry the virus to others.