LIving in the time of the Red Death

                Living in the time of Red Death

       It is Friday, the 20^th of March, in the year of our Lord, 2020. We are in the second week of a massive assault by the Corona Virus. In the United States there are already 15,000 cases of infection. Medical personnel advise that it is probably many times that due to lack of testing materials and facilities. Countries like Italy have already had their health systems overwhelmed. I thought it best to set down some of the experiences we are having for those who come after. This isn’t the first plague to afflict our world population nor will it be the last.

       Predictably, the federal politicians are pointing fingers everywhere trying to avoid responsibility for the lack of preparedness, on a national scale, for pandemics. In fairness, the diseases aren’t their fault, nor is the general lack of readiness to meet the assault. We get hit by hurricanes, floods and tornados regularly. We wind up reacting afterwards as best we can. It just gets irksome when some slippery rascals are so obvious about shirking responsibility. Most of us don’t care about whose fault this is. We just want to know how are we going to fix this thing.

       A massive spending bill, passed Congress, was signed into law yesterday. It will send money to every individual in the United States, as a means of spurring the sagging economy. Though only a few weeks old, the after effects of the medical malady have caused the Dow Jones index on the NYSE to tank 6,000 points, about a quarter of its value. Business and industry are in free fall and the future course of this struggle will last for many months to come.

       Another Trillion-dollar package, of stimulus funds, is in the planning for the businesses and retail sectors of the economy. This time the bills will stipulate that none of the fund be used for stock buy-backs or executive pay bonuses. like some companies had done a few years back. I suppose when you are falling off a cliff you don’t question the cost of a parachute.

      The only lights of sunshine we see are advisements from Korea and China that they have discovered no new cases of the virus after massive containment and mitigation of their entire population. Maybe the virus will run its course and abate? Our government had caused a massive flap by calling this virus “Chines virus.” Scientists advise that is not correct and the one billion Chines are predictably outraged that we blame them for the outbreak. In a similar case in 1918, a worldwide Influenza outbreak that killed millions had been labeled the “Spanish Flu” even though it reportedly originated in a Kansas farm field.

      At first, it was thought that only the very old and those with compromised immune systems were at high risk. After scenes of college breakers, congregating en masse on Florida beaches, reports were coming in, from France and Italy, that indeed all segments of the population are equally at risk. That should change everyone’s perspective.

      The NBA, NHL and PGA all cancelled their seasons. Though this will help medically, there would be the layoffs of many hundreds of thousands of employees, adding to society's economic burden.

       Segments of the military have been mobilized to enter the fray. Two naval hospital ships are being deployed to handle non virus illnesses and take the patient pressure from existing hospitals. National stock piles of face masks, ventilators and other scarce equipment are being added to the medical stream to help out. I always wonder why we don’t bring in the military sooner. They are the only people trained to act against large scale disasters. Their discipline, order and superior planning are exquisitely designed to meet any disaster head on.

     In Florida, the beaches are all closed, something that has never happened before. All bars are closed and most businesses. Retail establishments as well comes under the ban. We had just ridden our bikes to a Panera Bread at the Coconut Mall. It is open only for take-out. We stood outside and ordered coffee, which was brought out to us. The chairs had all been removed to avoid places for people to congregate. These are new times we are adjusting to. Characteristically nimble of foot, I took a spill on my bike. Luckily, I escaped with a few major abrasions of the arm and leg. Maybe we were all more spooked about this thing than I thought.

     In the food stores, all of the paper products, sanitary rinses and the like had disappeared in the first week of the panic. After that, meat, and many provisions had vanished as well. We have to see if the supply chain will restock any time soon.

      Gallows humor was surfacing amongst the Irish. We recalled scenes from the 1960’s film “On the Beach,” when nuclear explosions had poisoned the planet. Many novels like Cormac McCarthy’s featured a dystopian (Greek for bad place) world that was populated by survivors.

    Not since the dark days on WW II had people been asked to pitch in and help out. And they were responding too! Community associations, schools and towns all come up with innovative ways to feed people who can’t shop for themselves. Many of the restaurants are doing “take out” or delivery business. With the lack of ready retail food, these services are doing a land office business.

     In SW Florida, we are watching a few hundred thousand Canadian visitors leave hurriedly for their northern homes. When the plague had been declared a “pandemic” their medical insurance had been cancelled. Staying here is Russian roulette.

Many of the elderly visitors are also getting ready to leave. In times of critical stress, they naturally want to be near their northern families and medical networks. About 35% of Florida’s population will probably head north in the next few weeks. That should ease the strain locally for goods and services.

      Although frightened, most people are good natured in their acceptance of these new times. It isn’t their first rodeo with hard times. Collectively, we all acknowledge that we will get through this thing no matter how long it takes. The Italians have a saying “Un Giorno ala volta” (one day at a time) that covers what most of us feel. Let’s see what happened tomorrow.

                                    -30-

                              (1,070 words)

                            Friday, March- 20, 2020

                           Joseph Xavier Martin