Balance between ReOpen and Stay Home

Below are thoughts allegedly from an unidentified GA physician shared on Facebook:

I am going to try again to throw this out. I’ve typed it about twelve times and then stopped. It’s so touchy.

I am seeing so much anxiety about resuming business, and so much anger about continued regulations. People are feeling the need to catapult to one side or the other, then fight the opposition.

Here’s my perspective, from a mainstream medical model. I think a lot of folks have fallen into the idea that social distancing was meant to stop the viral spread. It wasn’t. It was meant to SLOW it while we put medical infrastructure in place. It has worked. We have, in most parts of Georgia, not been overwhelmed like we likely would have been without protective measures. In the meantime, our testing procedures have gotten better. We’ve increased our ventilator count. We’ve gotten a little better handle on PPE supply chains, and many have helped by making masks and gowns. Phoebe in Albany has a second COVID-19 ICU opened, and Atlanta has a field hospital ready to go. It’s not perfect, but it’s much better than it was seven weeks ago.

A vaccine is a long way off. At some point, people have to be systematically exposed to begin the building of (hopeful) herd immunity. We will likely begin to experience a real increase in cases after reopening. Ideally, that exposure is controlled and calculated, in phases, to allow our medical community to respond adequately, and reduce the number of severe or fatal cases. That’s where we are. 

Whether you feel like Georgia is opening too soon, or not soon enough, we were never going to social distance this thing into nonexistence. You now need to proceed as your health, wallet, and conscience allow.

If you are medically vulnerable, you do not need to be a part of what is about to happen. Stay home if you can. If you’re not, or if your financial vulnerability trumps your health concerns, you need to proceed in ways that continue to protect yourself, and the elderly and medically vulnerable around you.

All of us need to calm down. Quit telling people who are financially struggling that they don’t care about human lives. Quit telling people who are truly at risk of dying from this virus that they are cowering in fear. Remember that until you’ve walked in someone else’s shoes, you should probably be careful in your judgments and subsequent harsh words.

We don’t HAVE to choose an either/or proposition and fight. We could choose other ways to be. Examples include but are not limited to:

“I think this may be too soon, so I will continue to shelter myself, and pray/ make masks/ check on those who can’t.”

“I really need to go back to work, so I will do so, but I will be careful and try to protect myself, my family, and those around me with healthy strategies.”

See how those positions allow each of us to do what we need to, and also respect those who are choosing differently?

One thing that allows us to do this is humility. I can acknowledge that I am not an epidemiologist/ economist/ whatever, that I am making decisions based on my understanding of complex subjects and my own personal health and financial situation, that I am not all knowing, always right, and an expert in all fields, and that each person around me is doing their best too. We can make different choices and still be a supportive community. We can learn and evolve in our understanding of these issues.

 Marvel Thanos balance meme

In the spirit of sharing softer news and/or silly vibes:

• John Oliver busted a few coronavirus myths.
• Mrs. Betty Bowers discussed opening states with a closed mind.
• The Who (band, not WHO) performed Won’t Get Fooled Again.

Daily pandemic update:  

Gilead Sciences' remdesivir proved effective against the new coronavirus in a major study, shortening the time it takes for patients to recover by four days on average, according to US government and company officials. The news came as the US economy took its hardest hit since the height of the Great Recession, with its GDP contracting 4.8 percent in the first quarter of the year. 

Bosnia registered its biggest daily jump in new infections this month following the gradual easing of lockdowns in its two autonomous regions, the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the Serb Republic. There were 93 new infections and two deaths in the previous 24 hours, compared with 20 new infections a day earlier and 49 the day before that, officials said. 

Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin said children would return to school gradually starting on May 14 for a little more than two weeks before summer break begins as usual in June.  Aljazeera.com timeline

30 Apr 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
11:03 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	3,154,442	3,234,915	218,795	228,598	965,397	1,009,288
US	1,035,765	1,064,572	59,266	61,669	142,238	147,411
NY	301,450	306,158	23,144	23,474	31,943	48,173
CT	26,312	26,767	2,089	2,168	63	65
NC	9,739	10,181	361	381	1,472	1,472

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously.
Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter, son Reid lives in CT, and I live in NC. 
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/     https://www.coronainusa.com/  

A moment of silence for those we’ve lost to coronavirus, including the first 100 in the US.

In the news:  

• Brooklyn teacher died of coronavirus after she was twice denied a COVID-19 test.
• Consumer group tracking PPP loans given to public companies.
• Debate: Should rent be cancelled during coronavirus crisis?
• Dozens of decomposing bodies found in trucks at NYC funeral home.
• Dr. Thomas Tuttle was the Dr. Fauci of the 1918 flu pandemic era.
• Fear of second wave from foreigners led to racial discrimination against black Africans and African-Americans in China, followed by international condemnation of racism. 
• German doctors protested lack of PPE by posing naked.
• Germany hopes there will be coordinated EU decision on foreign travel.
• Iranian scientist in US detention contracted coronavirus after pleading for release. 
• Los Angeles is first major US city offering free coronavirus testing to all residents. 
• Mnuchin said stimulus checks to dead relatives should be returned but didn’t specify how.
• NC bakery Mrs. Pumpkins announced receipt of PPP small business loan.
• NC Gaston County mayor took defiant stand against governor's stay at home order.
• NC juveniles stole 46 cars from multiple local car dealerships.
• NC: majority of 27 new cases in Forsyth are connected to Wilkesboro Tyson plant.
• Neighbor Lynda LaCasse corroborated Tara Reade’s allegations against Biden.
• OpEd about US from Fintan O’Toole published in Irish Times April 25 went viral; video too. 
• Outbreak science utilizes algorithm as digital early warning system.
• Researchers confirmed first and only known death by falling meteorite in 1888. Meteor showers are common though few hit earth. 
• Trump trolled Amash; third party run would likely divide opposition against president.
• US meatpacking plants ordered to remain open; employee safety concerns persist.
• White House physical distancing guidelines to fade out as economy reopens.

Following Kenny Beck’s lead to share a few signs of hope:

• 87 year old NH woman sings high school cheer after recovering from coronavirus. 
• 101 year old woman born during Spanish flu pandemic survives coronavirus. 
• Greta Thunberg and NGO Human Act launched a child rights driven coronavirus campaign for UNICEF. 

In my personal life…

An unnamed source who wishes to remain anonymous has begun sharing tips with me as he finds interesting tidbits in his own news feeds. I told him, while he was sitting in his recliner next to me, that I would not publish his name in connection to any stories he shares with me, because of course I would have to verify with multiple legitimate news sources before posting. Deep Throat Lebowski’s identity is safe. Loose lips sink ships but I’ll never tell.  😉

NOTE:  I tried unsuccessfully to find out the identity of the unknown GA doctor referenced at the top of today's post. Found multiple instances where people had shared the message, several in GA, but not a single time was the doctor named. Also stumbled upon Little Green Footballs, a political blog run by Charles Johnson, who thinks the GA doctor is fake, an example of Mainstream Frame disinformation masquerading as campy common sense. I don't know for sure so I'm going to keep digging.