Holding Steady

So, in the month since I’ve last posted, coronavirus deaths in the USA have risen to over 100,000. New cases in 10 states are declining, in 18 states are rising, and in 22 states are holding steady.

The country is still in Phase One of re-opening. Restaurants and retail stores can operate at 25% capacity, tables must be six feet apart. Hair salons can open, but customers must have their temperature taken upon entry, wear masks, and be kept six feet apart. Employees must sanitize fixtures after each customer, and wear masks and gloves (new for each customer). Bars and gyms are closed. Churches are supposed to be closed, but all of a sudden this week Trump deemed them as essential services, so I don’t know if houses of worship will be holding services or not. Masks are still mandatory in public.

One of Stacy’s coworkers tested positive for the virus, so our household is on a 14-day quarantine monitoring for symptoms of the virus.

The news says unemployment is at its worst since the Great Depression.

Trump is telling us there may be a vaccine ready by the end of the year. That would be great, but I’d be a little worried about taking it. Vaccines normally take years to produce and test for effectiveness and safety. With producing it so fast, how do we know there are no long-term side effects? I’ll let everyone else try it before I get in line for a vaccination.

Still no toilet paper in the stores.

Cat

Pandemic Update

When was my last post, 4/15? Now it's 5/1, and the deaths from Covid-19 have almost doubled, up to 63,000 in only two weeks.

In just the last 6 weeks, 1 in 5 Americans have applied for unemployment. The unemployment rate is 14.7%. And what about those who have lost their jobs but don't qualify for unemployment?

In spite of the fact that the pandemic doesn't seem to be getting any better, some states are relaxing their rules on the lockdown this week. They are allowing retail stores and restaurants to open, but they can only admit 25% of their capacity. Restaurants have to keep their tables 6 feet apart. They also have to use disposable plates, utensils, and menus.

They say that if and when schools open up the desks will have to be 6 feet apart. How is that going to work with school overcrowding?

Florida is partially relaxing their rules, except for three counties, one of which is mine.  So we are still on lockdown, only allowed to go out for essential business. And we have to wear masks when we are out and about.

This is what happens when you keep a six-year-old on lockdown for two months.

I mostly am making jewelry in my studio to keep busy, though who knows when we will ever have markets where I can sell it again.

Signing off for now,

Cat