Corona Log Entry

Corona Log Entry- November 13, 2021

           It is sunny, warm and humid this morning in, Southwest Florida, with the promise of rain to come. We were readying for a couple’s golf league, shot-gun start at 1 P.M. Dinner would follow.

           The attitude towards Covid-19 is more relaxed here. An older community, almost everyone has had their vaccinations here. Many of us have already received our third booster shot. Still, there is a wariness in the air. People don’t flock together as readily at indoor events. Mask wearing isn’t required, but hand washing, social distancing and other preventive measures are almost ingrained in our nature.

           All around us in America, the culture war rages on. The anti-vaccination crowd gained a new hero, when Green Bay Quarterback and super star Aaron Rogers came down with Covid-19 infection, revealing that he hadn’t been vaccinated for it, inspire of NFL League rules. This cavalier attitude drives the medical community up the wall. The largest share of new covid-19 infections and deaths, in America, arises from those who refused to be vaccinated. The tiny nation state of Singapore is refusing to pay medical bills for any covid-19 patients who have refused vaccinations. Is that in store for us? I think not.

           The incidence of children, with Covid-19 infections, is rising. All of the major vaccines are now available for children over five years of age. And booster shots are approved for virtually everyone. Still, there is resistance. A journalist the other day reported that since June 1, 2021 there have been over fifty thousand deaths in America, of those unvaccinated. It is a terrible and unnecessary waste of human life. The Federal Govt. had mandated that as of Jan. 5th, 2022 all companies, with over 100 hundred employees, must either have all employees vaccinated or subject to weekly covid-19 tests. A goodly number of states are challenging the mandate in court. As I understand it, the argument centers around the Tenth amendment to the Constitution, which grants all states powers and duties not specifically ascribed to the federal government. Police powers and the ability to impose mandates may be among those states’ rights, some claim. 

         All around us, the infection rate is climbing again. Perhaps the approach of Winter is driving many people indoors, where the spread of infection is greater. Perhaps the massive football games, with huge crowds, many without masks, has spread the virus once again. In Russia, the Pandemic is a blazing fire again spreading across their nations. Europe too is experiencing a rise in infections.

       The Merck and Pfizer drug companies have developed  tablet-form treatments for people already infected with Convid-19. Perhaps that will cut down on the death rate. Still, virtually unheard of are the horrendous human tallies from South America and Africa. No one even speaks of them. Medical authorities claim that over half of the planet’s population remains unvaccinated. We once thought we had this infection of the run. We were premature in our predictions.

       The United States reopened its borders, with Canada and Europe, a few weeks back. Aspiring entrants still have to show proof of covi-19 vaccinations and show a recent covid-19 test with a negative result.

        The Thanksgiving Holidays approach here in the United States. It will be a time of massive air travel, huge family gatherings and events of all kinds. One can only hope that the vaccines help check the further spread of the pandemic monster.

         In Washington, D.C after a titanic struggle, Congress passed a $1.2 Trillion public works bill. The money will fund road and bridge repairs, water system pollution and a host of other infrastructural repairs, ignored for a few generations due to lack of funds. Another package of “human infrastructural” funds is still up for debate but stands little chance of passage. The sides have solidified along Party lines and no one wants to give an inch. It is Washington at its most usual posture.

          The investigation into the roots and causes of the January 6^th insurrection continue. Subpoenas have been issues to many top advisers of the last administration. So far, one who ignored the subpoena, Steve Bannon, has been indicted and an arrest warrant issued. The drama will play out for months.

        In the financial sector, the Dow Jones average steams along at the 36,000-point level, seemingly unaffected by inflationary fears. Prices on many good and services have risen to 30-year highs. Many blame the current supply-chain issue, that has dozens of cargo ships stalled in major east and west coast ports. Some of the rise is no doubt is just pure greed and opportunism. Natural Gas costs are rising as Winter approaches. Gasoline prices at the pump are already at high levels. Housing costs have spiraled through the roof, chasing many first-time buyers from the market. Somebody in Washington better do some tinkering, before the whole economy super heats and explodes.

         Curiously, the domestic job market is wide open. Higher wages have caused millions of Americans to quit lower paying jobs, in industries like fast food and entertainment. There is also a nationwide shortage of 80,000 truck drivers that further exacerbates the shortages in all product lines. People are already stocking up on Christmas supplies, to avoid getting closed out of seasonal products. Maybe Santa Claus and his Elves can do some hauling for us?

        Internationally, there is a huge climate control conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. Nations seek to get promises for the lowering of fossil fuel consumption to mitigate global warming. Most of it is well meaning talk. The biggest polluters of coal are China and the United States. I did see one interesting experiment, from a high-tech company in Israel. They are able to float aloft huge balloons, with a catching device, that attracts and catches carbon from the atmosphere, in large quantities. They later use the CO2 for energy purposes, after it is captured. Continuing improvements in the wind, solar energy companies with reduced usages of carbon fuels and an emphasis on eclectic car production also promise to help the situation. Innovation and new technologies will be needed to solve this situation.

           I have thought several times now of ending this chronicle, but the pandemic monster keeps rearing its ugly head in newer and more deadly avatars. Hopefully, we will get this monster under control soon and I can get back to writing about other things.

                                                       -30-

                                                  (1,065 words)

                                             Joseph Xavier Martin