Corona Log Feb 11, 2021

Corona Log- Thursday, February 11, 2021

         A sea-fog covered much of SW Florida this morning. Temperatures had soared into the mid-eighties range yesterday. It was a presage of the fog and rain coming in this afternoon. We are driving up to Sebring, Fl. this afternoon. It is a rural conglomeration of winter visitors, agricultural producers and small-town clusters, about 45 miles south of Orlando in the middle of the state. We have been fortunate enough to secure a coveted Friday morning appointment, for a Covid-19 vaccination, at the Walmart Center there. To some, it might seem an inconvenience to drive 150 miles and stay overnight. To us, it was a boon of wonderful proportions. We will have to repeat the process in a month, for the booster shot, but it is a much-welcomed event in our lives. The fear of Corona contagion is a very real element in all of or lives. It will be a relief to put that behind us.

          All around us, the terrible litany of the Corona Plague continues its assault. Some 475,000 Americans have already fallen victim to the effects of the virus. Another 27 million had become infected and suffered various degrees of illness. The new viral variants, from South Africa, Brazil and the United Kingdom, are on everyone’s mind, even the vaccinated. Will the vaccine protect people from the mutated variants? No one yet knows.

        On the plus side, the Biden administration is ramping up inoculations, as promised. Vaccinations will now be given at CVS Drug Stores, Walmart and other retail outlets, given as well at mobile vans, to be used in the hard to reach rural communities. Even at this more rapid pace, it will not be until Fall that everyone, who wants a shot, can get one. On this same topic, there is a large amount of people who are refusing the vaccination, claiming a whole array of uncertainty and safety concerns, with the new vaccine.

         The Food & Drug Administration has just approved another vaccination product, produced by Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals. It features a one-shot, vaccination process and requires no special temperature storage procedures. Now, it is a race between the speed of the vaccinations and the speed of spreadable infections, caused by the new viral mutations. Ultimately, tens of thousands of Americans will succumb to the unchecked virus. The world around us wages similar germ warfare, trying to inoculate their citizens. Canada in addition to closing their border has imposed strict regulations for anyone returning there. They need to quarantine, at a govt. chosen hotel and at their own expense, or show a negative Covid-19 test, taken just before flying. The Lord only knows how the African and South American nations will cope. The poorer nations will suffer the hardest, long term-effects.

          At least, many more people, here in the United States,  seem to be wearing protective masks and practicing social distancing. That is, except at sporting events. T.V coverage, of the after math of the LV Super Bowl, show throngs of cheering Tampa Bay fans congregating at all manner of venues, celebrating their teams win. Unfortunately, most appear to not be wearing masks.

         The Spring Training series, for Baseball, are about to open up here in Florida and Arizona. The State Health Department in Florida, will allow only 25 % of the normal 10,000 fans to attend and watch the coming games. Still, 2,500 people gathering in close quarters, for any reason, is a risk.

           The biggest source of contention is the restaurant and gym business, who are starving from lack of patrons. The reduced number of diners allowed is killing them financially. Many thousands of those businesses simply won’t survive the pandemic. Similarly, the vacation, cruise and tourist industries are in dire straits. They are hoping for a Fall 2021 revival, but leery of worsening conditions.

            The financial markets seem to chug merrily along, unaffected for now by the mess all around them. Except for a few speculative wrinkles, the market levels are steady. Experts do hint that a major “correction” is in the offing. The price of crude oil keeps rising, inflating gasoline prices at the pump. That is more of a reflection of OPEC manipulations, rather than any actual shortage of supply.

           As a backdrop to all of this, the Impeachment Trial of former President Donald J. Trump is in progress. By vote, the U.S. Senate ruled that the process, of trying a former president, is constitutional. After verbal openings, the House of Rep. Managers presented a several, hours-long, multimedia presentation of the Jan. 6^th Trump rally, the president’s alleged comments that incited the mob and then, filmed accounts of the brutal assault and takeover of the U.S Capitol. Startling portraits of the Federal Legislators, literally running for their lives, while the vandals sacked the Capitol are powerful. In spite of all of this, informal surveys say that there are not enough votes in the Senate to convict the former president. Insider sources have leaked that, if the vote for conviction is not secured, they are ready to introduce and pass a resolution of censure for Trump’s conduct. The nation is divided along bitter partisan lines.

        Locally, we continue on as always, wearing masks, disinfecting everything, including gasoline pump and car wash handles. We keep our social distancing and do what we can to lead a “normal life.” We hope that the vaccine will give us a bit more liberty, to travel and interact with people, even though we will still wear masks and proceed cautiously as we have been. We also hope that they refine this vaccination process, so that the rest of the populations doesn’t have to go through this awful “dialing for lives” process, that we now endure.

         One day at a time.

                                                        -30-

                                             (52,972 total words)

                                           Joseph Xavier Martin