A message of safety

It's now March 11, 2020. I've watched (and sometimes intentionally not watched) my local news stations, (and some national/international media on the web) and figure the Covid-19 virus is probably traveling into my home territory about now. It was 50 miles away last night. Anyone driving along might have stopped for gas, or at lunch where I was also visiting. Opening a door in a restaurant, or pumping my gas would have been adequate for me to have the virus on my hands.

I hope I haven't been infected. I am going to be urging most of my friends to stay away from crowded places. My friend and I had lunch yesterday, and she told of how her dentist had coughed several times into her elbow (the dentist's) while working on her mouth. We both felt a bit fragile, me especially since I already have a susceptible breathing system, a compromised immune system I think the doctor called it. I can catch pneumonia easily.

I'm not stockpiling any supplies, though I think I've got at least 2 weeks worth of groceries, medicines, and toilet paper. Since when do people hoard that? Strange times.

I am planning several day trips with a friend next week...and may cancel if the virus is more prevalent in our area. Both would be visiting a public forum where a lot of people pass through. I just delivered a ceramic piece for an art show in a small local gallery, and picked up one from the last show. I was around about 10 people doing so. Door knobs, papers to sign with community pens, talking with each other, sharing our breaths. I did not rush to wash my hands. Indeed, I even picked up my hush puppies with those same hands and ate them a short while later. My bad.

My lunch buddy from yesterday and I decided not to meet for lunch for the next couple of weeks...unless we do so in each other's homes.

On a more positive note, the Bradford Pear trees are beginning to blossom. The inevitability of spring is finally here.

But the news as of yesterday was that 40 colleges had closed their campuses, only continuing on-line classes. I hadn't watched the evening news yet when I wrote this...but it will certainly be giving more numbers.

I hope a certain heightened awareness will help us each look to more diligent practices. I should have washed my hands before eating.

I do wish that my family that is planning a trip for spring break will be safe. I can't say I want them to cancel it, because they have been looking forward to it as "the last chance to do this together" before the oldest girl starts college. Apparently they all have a lot of plans during the summer, so spring break was the choice. Every time I voice my anxiety about them, my lunching friend reminds me that they are all in excellent health, and children seem to have less trouble with this virus, and they are indeed, rather athletic.

I like that another friend mentioned on line that bringing your own pen when signing in at a doctor's office would be a good idea, then using sanitizer after handling the clip board.

I still have a face mask that I carry for times when my cough (not a catching one, but one I've had for years) is noisy around other people. But I also feel I'd rather avoid being around other people as much as possible. It's a matter of personal choice, and being safe rather than sorry.