The road so far ...
3 months into the new year, new decade and there is a lot to cover, so I will keep it brief. A lot has happened with regards to my new employment, new moments, and other news I will cover more diligently in the months to come .. promise!
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
I would be remiss if I didn't start off with what is quite literally the most life-changing event of the new decade: COVID-19 aka "Corona Virus" that began showing up the first few weeks of 2020 (the exact date remains a hot topic).
How it started
The origins of the pandemic are murky at best, with opposing countries US and CHINA blaming each other. The truth is the virus was not an engineered bio-weapon:
".. the virus evolved to its current pathogenic state through natural selection in a non-human host and then jumped to humans. This is how previous coronavirus outbreaks have emerged, with humans contracting the virus after direct exposure to civets (SARS) and camels (MERS)"
source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175442.htm
How its spread
What is fact so far is the outbreak started in China and quickly made its way across Asia and Europe, with Italy one of the first countries hardest hit.
Spanning several weeks in February, the rate of spread grew exponentially, eventually reaching the US. By the first week in March, the spread reached all of Europe and nearly every state in the union, with infections being reported moment-by-moment, in all walks of life (including celebrities), with some cases of fatalities being reported.
What we know
- The virus is an evolved version of earlier pathogens like SARS and MERS
- The virus is spread by contact, person-to-person, or from surfaces
- The virus is deadliest amongst people past the age of 70, or with a pre-existing condition
- The virus lives airborne for days, and on surfaces for up to a few hours
What we don't know
- To date, there's no known cure
How we are fighting it
- As of March 16th, NYers (among many other states) have been ordered to maintain 6ft of "social distancing" with each other
- Most offices - including my new job - have been ordered to enact a "Work-from-home" policy
- Non-essential personnel have been asked to stay home
- Schools, Churches, and other public venues are closed. Restaurants are opened for take-out services only
- Gatherings of people have been restricted to 50 or so
- A possible shut-down of NY State is eminent
The fallout so far
Leadership during hardship
It is during the most difficult times that we see the character of a person. We judge if they put WE before ME. We see leadership and grace under fire.
We get a feeling of hope and comfort, not angst and fear. We get facts, not conjecture and innuendo. We get decisive action, not temerity.
Our Governor Andrew Cuomo has demonstrated such leadership and bold action. Our President and City Mayor have failed in their duties to allay fears and provide the necessary information and decisive action that defines separates a great leader from the rest.
Coping and conforming
Many celebrities have taken up the challenge of employing social media to reach out to fans and provide some form of entertainment
Fitness types have also employed YouTube and Instagram to publish home-based workouts. Something I fully plan to take advantage of!!
Working from home .. and schooling from home .. are our new norms. Like many, I am practicing social distancing and WFH policy. I will go into this next post.
The most disappointing thing is the behavior of some. There are still crimes happening. There are still people who wish to troll others. And even from our national leaders, there is a consistent back-and-forth of blame and misinformation rather than facts and hope.
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