Category: COVID-19

Coronavirus Log: Day 7 – The Weekend

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Happy Sunday from our house to yours –

Quick note for the Weekend post: The new album from The Weeknd is good. I particularly like this song:

Our first weekend while under quarantine. It was pretty fun. We went bike riding with the kids, and I went for a run. Upon my return Sasha helped me stretch out and then both H & S did a little workout with me.

I’ve been worried about eating foods at restaurants and ordering food for takeout or delivery. This read about Food Safety  gave me some much-needed facts and is making me less worried. A good read.

In the “I’m not at all surprised department,” the kids in Florida partying are coming down with cases of COVID

I get a weekly newsletter from Eugene Wei and I liked this metaphor he wrote about:

The Never-ending Bottle Episode
In the TV business, a bottle episode is the industry term for an episode that is severely constrained in order to be produced as cheaply as possible; usually, it refers to an episode shot entirely in one location, primarily with cast regulars. Without having to move the crew around and relight multiple locations, and without having to pay non-regular cast members, you can shoot the episode on the cheap.

Some shows have organic bottle episodes (for example, some serial killer show may plan for an episode where our lead profiler interviews the serial killer in his maximum-security prison), but more often it’s because a show has gone off-pattern (TV lingo for off-budget). When that happens, the showrunner announces that episode so-and-so will be a bottle episode, and the writer of said episode nods and then wanders to the bathroom to sob in a stall.

Writers usually hate to be assigned to a bottle episode; it’s like having your birthday on Christmas. You just feel swindled compared to other writers who have the budget to use multiple locations and high-profile guest stars. However, as in many creative endeavors, the constraints can summon untapped reserves of creativity. Such episodes often consist of a lot of people just sitting around and talking to each other. The one I remember most, because of what prompted it, was the “Isaac and Ishmael” episode of West Wing, its season three premiere. It was written and shot quickly and aired several weeks after 9/11, a stand-alone episode outside show continuity, consisting of a series of Socratic dialogues on terrorism and how to deal with it.

We’re living through a version of a real-life bottle episode now, many of us isolated at home because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is that emergency episode that falls outside the overarching narrative continuity of our lives. I find it challenging to process how life might be forever changed, that while we were going about our daily lives, we missed the transition to a new season, the dark turn in the plot. Even as I bunkered down and haven’t left my condo for 11 days now, I’m not sure I’ve fully accepted that life might be changed quite drastically for the foreseeable future, if not forever. This isn’t a stand-alone episode, from which we’ll return to the core plot branch next week. This novel coronavirus is woven into the ongoing narrative now, forever.

Cases:

  • World: 316,187 — Total deaths: 13,592 (up 1,671 – daily increase is down 12% from yesterday)
  • USA: 26,747 Total deaths: 340 (up 65 – daily increase is down 7% from yesterday)
  • Marin: 37 cases (up 0 from yesterday), 0 deaths

Coronavirus Log: Day 6 – Starting to Feel It

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What we’re thinking about

We’re worried about Diane’s medicine. She has bad asthma and needs her inhaler. She has only 1-2 weeks left and she’s worried there will be a run on that medicine as people get sick and she’ll be left without. It’s quite stressful. We’re looking to score some more. Stay tuned.

We are finding our groove a bit in home schooling. Hunter is dining great although he’s telling us that school at home is “way harder” than regular school, which I’m excited to hear

The standing “quaran-time” happy hour is pretty great to have every day.  While we don’t talk about much, it’s been great to see old faces and see how everyone is stressed out, the same as me.

Where we’re at:

The main thing on my mind is that this is going to last a LONG time and that it’s really going to impact a lot oF people. This is confluence of 3 things:

(1) The cases are going up. We’re on a higher trajectory than any other country

(2) The reports from hospitals are that they’re running out of supplies already. One hospital has already ordered to stop testing people coming in so they don’t waste the gowns and masks.

(3) There are still many areas that are not taking this seriously and not isolating themselves. This all but ensures this is going to spread and that we’re going to be inside for a lot longer than we thought. We needed to get EVERYONE inside and that is just not happening. Yesterday the California governor predicted that 56% of all Californias will get infected.

Other Items:

Another crazy moment by our president where he lashed out a reporter:

Cases:

  • World: 287,239— Total deaths: 11,921 (up 1883)
  • USA: 19,931 — Total deaths: 275 (up 70)
  • Marin: 37 cases (up 12), 0 deaths

Coronavirus Log: Day 5 – Jobs are Disappearing

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Where my head is:

I’m mostly thinking about all the businesses that will go under and fighting to keep Onward from doing so as well.  I had a part-time Onward reach out last night that her other work has all disappeared. I read an interview of some bar and restaurant owners who talked about only being able to survive for a month or two. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits jumped to its highest level in two years. I don’t see how most businesses can survive for more than a few months. I keep thinking of the forest fire metaphor. It is a terrible and destructive thing but it clears out old brush and allows for new growth. There will be many new businesses that emerge from this and lots of entrenched businesses who go down. It might be a good thing in the long term, but when the fire is raging, it’s very painful and scary.

Physically, I’m a bit worn down. I’m used to moving around more and staying confined to my house isn’t great for me. I need to prioritize walks/runs out the house more.

No major news out of the rest of the world. The USA is getting more serious about the lockdowns with all of California and PA issuing lockdowns, meaning you can’t leave your house except for food and medicine. The rate of deaths in the world and US is increasing – up 36% day-over-day.

Cases:

  • Worldwide: 246,275 — Total deaths: 10,038  (up 706)
  • USA:  14,250 — Total deaths: 205 (up 55)
  • Marin: 25 (up 9), 0 deaths

Coronavirus Log: Day 4 – No Cases in China

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48 Rolls Free

 

Where my head’s at:

I’m actually feeling pretty good today. There’s been a bunch of interesting, more positive news that i’ve read lately.

First, the big news is that China has no new cases. This is incredible. As you read from yesterday, my belief is that we have to get to a vaccine or full pollution infection before we can get back to normal. If the China news is true, then that’s NOT the case.

Also, there appears to be a drug in Japan that’s pretty effective in combatting the disease and Ford and General Motors are looking into making medical equipment, including ventilators.

At home, I’ve noticed that home-schooling two kids are at different levels is a challenge. Sasha (age 5) keeps interrupting Hunter (age 7). It’d be easier to just focus on one or have two kids the same age. And, I’m thankful to have a recurring Zoom happy hour video happening with my college friends. We had 13 people jump on a call and share their isolation experiences. For an extrovert like me, it’s nice to be able to chat with others.

Finally, I liked hearing about how pollution is improving around the world. China’s carbon output is way down and the canals in Venice are the clearest they’ve been in decades.

China pollutoin

Some interesting things:

  1. How not to hate the person you’re quarantined with.
  2. Who knew? There’s a video filter to help you look better on Zoom calls.

Cases:

  • Global:227,685 cases, 9332 deaths. (up 1,057 from yesterday)
  • US:  9,332 cases, 150 deaths (up 35)
  • Marin: 16 cases (up 5), 0 deaths

New Yorker Coronavirus Cover

Coronavirus Log: Day 3

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Where my head is at

I was talking with various people about the end game today. When does this end? There seem to be 3 outcomes I can think of:

  1. A vaccine developed and rolled out. When this happens, we can then begin to treat this like the flu and go back to regular behavior, and just stay away from those who are sick.  This seems to be 9-12 months out. There’s a good article about Moderna, the company who is leading the race to develop the vaccine. It was created by a VC firm and is now a public company.
  2. Everybody gets it.  Once almost all people have had it, then a general immunity is there and we all can go back to regular behavior. This seems unlikely but it’s possible. This seems 12 months out too. In this case, the disease is still very dangerous so there would still be fear by those who haven’t gotten the disease yet.
  3. Something new happens. I’m not sure what this is but many we develop enough tests that we do massive testing. Any time you leave the house, you test and then when you return, you test.  If there are tests happening daily we could accurately confine those who are sick and keep the public safe.

None of these are happening within 2-3 months. The new normal of social distancing and staying away from crowds seems to be here to stay, at least for a year.  I could see this having some good and bad effects on society. A few that come to mind…

  • Bad: Those who are extroverted getting very stressed out and dangerously going out in public
  • Bad: Those in bad relationships and marriages having tough times
  • Good: People getting really good at video conferencing and FaceTime, and new systems emerging to be able to remotely converse collectively
  • Good: Online learning gets way better.

Finally, i have no idea how i’m going to get a haircut.  Perhaps the male hairstyles of this time will all consist of long hair

What’s Happening: Lockdown is happening full effect

Apparently Some people in Florida haven’t gotten the message that this is happening and are hitting the beach

Other Items

  • Universal theater is now bringing movies to on-demand the same time as it comes to theaters. If this happens more broadly this will kill the windowing system. That hasn’t happened yet but it feels like the end is coming for movie theaters. I love seeing movies in theaters but I also love the convenience of staying home and in this environment, you might as well give films to people in their homes.
  • The IRS pushed back the date you need to pay your taxes by 90 days
  • Celebrities getting the virus: Idris Elba and Kevin Durant
  • Amazon is hiring 100k workers as demand for packages are off the hook.

Stats:

  • Worldwide: 207k cases, 8275 deceased
  • US: 6436 cases, 115 deceased
  • Marin: 11 cases, 0 deceased

Coronavirus Log: Day 2

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So where are we today?

Case stats are:

In my area: 9 cases in Marin and 0 deaths

 

What’s happening?

More and more cities and states are shutting down: New York City, Los Angeles, Illinois and Ohio closed all restaurants and bars.

We remain 10 days behind Italy:

Shockingly there are still people in my community and all around the country still going out, going to restaurants and bars. It hasn’t fully sunk in yet for everyone. 

My situation

I returned home from Toronto in the morning and have quarantined myself in a room. Because I’ve been around lots of people this past week, I’m going to take some precautions until it’s clear that I’m not infected. 

In related news:

Frank Drebin’s spirit is with us:

 

Patton Oswald went on his lawn to do an impromptu session:

The cover of New York Magazine

Coronavirus Log: Day 1

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Crazy times over here. I thought i’d dust off the ol’ blog and record what’s happening.  Let’s get this started…

The cover of New York Magazine

Over the past 4 weeks or so, we all heard about Coronavirus (aka COVID-19) and it’s impact in China and Italy, but didn’t believe it was going to impact us that much in the states. That is, until Italy turned into a war zone.  Then 3 days ago, Rudy Gobert on the Utah Jazz tested positive, which resulted in all NBA games being cancelled. It followed quickly by other leagues, the NCAA, March Madness, the wife of the Canadian Prime Minister, and most shocking of all Tom Hanks!

Why are in this mess?

Well, at the top of the list I blame Trump. Here’s what he’s done (or not done):

  1. The World Health Organization had working tests that the United States refused
  2. Researchers at a project in Seattle tried to conduct early tests for the coronavirus but were prevented from doing so by federal officials. (Doctors at the research project eventually decided to perform coronavirus tests without federal approval.)
  3. The president reportedly ignored early warnings of the severity of the virus and grew angry at a CDC official who in February warned that an outbreak was inevitable.
  4. The Trump administration dismantled the National Security Council’s global-health office, whose purpose was to address global pandemics; we’re now paying the price for that. “We worked very well with that office,” Fauci told Congress. “It would be nice if the office was still there.”
  5. Day after day after day he denies reality – trying to do to the coronavirus what Attorney General William Barr did to the Mueller report: lie about it and get away with it. First, He claimed that it was contained in America when it was actually spreading.
  6. Then, he claimed that we had “shut it down” when we had not.
  7. He claimed that testing was available when it wasn’t.
  8. He claimed that the coronavirus will one day disappear “like a miracle”; it won’t.
  9. He claimed that a vaccine would be available in months; Fauci says it will not be available for a year or more.

So, where are we?

Current stats are:

What are we doing? 

We’re now attempting to “flatten the curve” by cancelling all schools, closing all workplaces and telling people to work from home, and banning all events over 100 people.

Flattening the Curve

We may face a shortage of ventilators and medical supplies, and hospitals may soon be overwhelmed, certainly if the number of coronavirus cases increases at a rate anything like that in countries such as Italy.

There appear to be WAY too few tests. This thread about the shortage of tests and supplies in a hospital is scary:

Day to day life is bizarre. Many people are rushing to grocery stores to stock up on essentials.  But the pictures i’m getting friends show the shelves bone-dry.

The borders are being shut. We have banned flights from Europe and Canada just announced they are closing the borders on Monday. We are all isolating ourselves in hopes to “flatten the curve”

 

What’s my Situation?

I’m currently in Toronto, but scheduled to get back tomorrow morning. That’s good because the borders in Canada close in 36 hours. Our kids are safe but the schools are closed for the next 2 weeks. All upcoming events (weddings, spring break trip) are no cancelled. We’ve stocked up on medicine, food and toilet paper. There’s no meetups happening with other families or groups.

 

Dog wrapped up