I accidentally ingested bleach. ACCIDENTALLY, people. The short version is the bleach dispenser still had liquid in it after the wash cycle. I was sure it was water, but, before ruining a load a clothes, I dipped in a finger and tasted. Definitely not water.¹ I had good intentions and it worked, my favorite jeans are still a nice indigo, but was the logic sound? The COVID loop continues with do this, do that, but is the logic sound?
Shelter In Place (SIP) Stops the Virus: Shelter in Place (SIP) stops the virus “from spreading” is the rest of the sentence. Flatten the curve, moderates the infection rate so that healthcare systems aren’t overloaded. SIP does not stop the disease or eradicate it. I sent N95 *masks to Brooklyn, NY the first week in March because that was a hot spot and ER nurses lacked personal protective equipment (PPE). The medical system is overwhelmed by COVID19 cases. Friday night, 8 weeks later, I made 22 masks destined for Waterloo City Iowa. Probably doesn’t sound like a hot spot until I add the Tyson² meatpacking plant. The ER nurses do not have PPEs, the medical system is being overwhelmed by COVID19 cases. Conclusion: This is terrifying for medical workers. The irony: The defense act was used in the executive order that meat and poultry factories must remain open during the outbreak, but, to date, has not been used for the manufacturing of PPEs and ventilators.
This is <insert description> Disaster: This is Disaster For the displaced and out of work, this is a financial disaster with no end in sight, period. For victims of physical and sexual abuse, SIP means trapped with the abuser, this is a traumatic disaster. For kids unable to go to school, proms, graduations, this is a social disaster. For Medical personal and essential services this is life threatening. The battle is between life threatening and financial. For those symptomatic with COVID19, pain and death for 4%. Conclusion: This is bad for all.
Time to Reopen?: Shelter in Place is working. Some areas show little or no cases which are partially caused the demands to “reopen.” Everyone is in some kind of pain, some kind of situation and no one wants the current state of things to continue. Lifting restrictions, relaxing guidelines should be met with skepticism and caution. On a larger scale, easing restrictions means freedom. People (and by people I mean to a large extent reopen protestors) are already flagrantly ignoring guidance today. Will freedom to reopen be met with freedom to disregard distance, cover and wash? Conclusion: reopning is going to cause a surge in cases. The ability to medically manage the surge is unknown. Irony: Lockdown protest leader who tested positive for coronavirus vows to attend upcoming rallies.²
What is the balance between mental, physical, social, financialhealth and safety? This week, consider from multiple points of view and challenge yourself to make the argument from a position diametrically opposed to yours. We’re all in this together and if you want someone to see your point of view, you have to at least consider theirs.
¹ I now know when running the speciality cycles, the bleach is not released. Operator error.
² 5,000 Meat Packing Workers in 19 states have tested positive for COVID19
Balancing on Unstable Surfaces 