WOW!
I started this post in my blog on March 30, 2020. It was just going to be the map of the US showing the concentration of reported cases. But, things are moving so rapidly that I've since edited the post a few times in order to mention some of what else is happening in the three days since I started writing.
As of today March 30, 2020
What can a person say that hasn't already been said many times around the world in hundreds of languages and dialects?
As of today, 4-3-20
Looking at the timeline below it didn't take long before it was clearly a worldwide problem.
When did the coronavirus start? These are excerpts from a New York Times article by https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-timeline.html
DEC. 31
Chinese authorities treated dozens of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause.
JAN. 11
China reported its first death.
JAN. 20
Other countries, including the United States, confirmed cases.
JAN. 30
The W.H.O. declared a global health emergency.
JAN. 31
The Trump administration restricted travel from China
FEB. 7
A Chinese doctor who tried to raise the alarm died.
FEB. 11
The disease the virus causes got a new name.
FEB. 14
France announces the first coronavirus death in Europe.
FEB. 23
Italy sees major surge in coronavirus cases and officials lock down towns.
FEB. 24
The Trump administration asks Congress for $1.25 billion for coronavirus response.
At this point the United States, where Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials warned of an almost certain outbreak, had 35 confirmed cases and no deaths.
FEB. 28
The number of infections in Europe spikes.
FEB. 29
The United States records its first coronavirus death and announces travel restrictions.
MARCH 3
U.S. officials approve widespread coronavirus testing.
By this point, the coronavirus had infected more than 90,000 around the globe and killed about 3,000, according to the W.H.O.
MARCH 13
President Trump declares a national emergency.
MARCH 26
The United States leads the world in confirmed coronavirus cases.
The United States officially became the country hardest hit by the pandemic, with at least 81,321 confirmed infections and more than 1,000 deaths. This was more reported cases than in China, Italy or any other country.
MARCH 30
More states issue stay-at-home directives.
And it continues...
The first time the American public heard about it was weeks after it was first reported in China. Then one person in America had it. Then more. Alerts began to trickle in. By then it was too little, too late to stop it.
Anger set in as it was learned that the President ignored advice and warnings from our own intelligence agencies months before what was soon to become the biggest challenge ever to not only Americans but all humans worldwide.
Within days, the news was quickly spreading, often with incorrect (sometimes deliberate and sometimes unintentional) and confusing data. It was so confusing, in fact, that it was difficult to even comprehend by the masses, much less responded to the threat on a personal level.
Things continued to get worse.
It wasn't long before everyone came to the realization that this was a bad thing. Even then, there was still no cohesive plan on how to deal with it. The President was telling everyone that it was under control. Scientists were saying that was not true. More untruths quickly followed, often mixed with unfounded exaggerations and finger-pointing as to blame.
Out of the confusion came the first clear instruction: everyone should wash their hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, especially after touching pretty much anything or anyone. And to use alcohol-based sanitary-wipes if hand-washing was not available. (if you could find them)
Then we were told to "cover our mouth when we cough" became the 'suggestive message' that pretty much any kind of mask, even homemade, would offer protection from someone else coughing. And there were not enough masks anyway. They sold out quickly, and homemade masks were considered unsafe unless made to specific standards.
By then, fear and pandamonium were starting to set in. We as a nation and as individuals were obviously not prepared for this threat.
To make matters worse, the stock markets world over began to sink further and further into recession.
All of this, so far, had occurred in less than ten days from when most Americans even heard about it.
While some people resorted to science for facts and solutions, others found comfort in religion and prayers. Some resorted to downplaying the threat while others exacerbated it wildly with misleading and untruthful claims.
The resulting confusion led to chaos and anarchy. Warnings were ignored. Preparation and testing were delayed, Exposure, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment were all issues within themselves, each with their own seemingly insurmountable problems. No one in authority had any idea what to do to contain it, let alone getting the supplies, equipment, and training to help front-line personnel respond without becoming infected themselves.
Panic began to set in, due mostly to the White House's ever-changing and frequently exaggerated statements. The best and brightest experts were being ignored.
Frustrated state Governors began to take their own initiatives, often in direct conflict with official White House statements and assurances.
The public did not wait. Within a single day, many store shelves were emptied of anything that could be important, with toilet paper being the highest priority. Bleach was also sold out, although it would have served no real purpose as scientists concluded that the virus was not a living organism that could be killed like bacteria.
Meanwhile, people were dying. At first a few each day. But within just a few days the numbers began to jump wildly and quickly reaching hundreds, then thousands of deaths.
Predictions of 'millions of deaths' were becoming common for the United States alone.
Businesses closed or changed their business to 'drive-through' or 'home delivery' only.
Millions of workers were laid off or told to work from home. Everyone was told to stay home unless it was absolutely necessary to go anywhere.
"No Contact" and "Stay at least 6 feet, then 10 feet from others" were simple orders that were meant for everyone. No hugging, kissing or shaking hands. Families had to say goodbye to their dying relatives through windows, if at all.
Crowds were not only discouraged but they were also made illegal. That meant churches, schools, sporting events, and even parties could no longer be held. Large expensive weddings suddenly became small, family-only affairs, or postponed until later.
Within days schools closed. Churches stopped having indoor services. Other places where large numbers of people gathered were simply stopped. Some managed to set up in-home classes for students, or on-line or TV religious services.
The stock markets world over started to tank, frequently dropping by hundreds of points in a single day. Thousands of points on some days. Trillions of dollars were instantly wiped from people's net worth, retirement funds, and investments.
Millions of workers had no income at all coming in. Record numbers of unemployment claims were filed into a system that was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem.
Congress passed a huge stimulus bill that promised checks to every American, as well as to support businesses that were critical to both the economy and the welfare of the population.
Some towns and cities imposed curfews because they simply did not have the manpower to deal with a catastrophe of this size. By then few people needed to be told to stay home and read or watch TV or sleep. Just don't go out.
Even if you did need to go somewhere, perhaps far away from home, how would you get there? Airlines canceled hundreds, then thousands of flights. Airports were virtually empty. Many gasoline stations were open but you couldn't be sure if they would be open elsewhere if you had to make a long trip. Restaurants were closing outright, or for drive-through only. Clearly, it was best to just stay home.
"How long will this thing last?" suddenly became the paramount question. Weeks? Months? Yes and Yes. Maybe even more than a year. Then what?
All we know at this point is that life will never be the same.
