Home to Colorado and Coronavirus (COVID-19)

In early February, we heard about Coronavirus when we were in Australia.  It started in Wuhan, China in late December 2019 (thus the name Co Vi D 19) and they were implementing quarantines for millions of people.  Australian news talked about getting their citizens home from China - including quarantine for them, so we understood it was a big problem.  This blog is helping me make this more real and manageable.  We have many very brilliant scientists around the world working on this, now with better funding.

A nasty flu bug attacked our group from one guy who was sneezing, sore throat, cough and got almost all of us.  That illness affected Scutie and me and we were tired for so much of our trip.  BUT, we weren't concerned about Coronavirus because we were all dealing with our own nasty virus.

Every day our email boxes were filled with cancellations and closures.  

When we got home in early March, the news about Coronavirus dominated until we realized that it was a huge problem in Europe (entire country of Italy was quarantined, then Spain, then more) and becoming a growing problem in the U.S., and spreading around the world, including in Australia and New Zealand.   We hikers wonder if our bug was Coronavirus - but we don't know and won't until that antibody test is available. 

Map from March 14, 2020 - Coronavirus in the World.  U.S. cases 

The incidence is growing in the U.S. and we are all asked to self-quarantine and to shelter-in-place.  Those are new words that we hear constantly now. We stocked up on food, toilet paper (can't find it) and found wipes (a miracle) so we are fine.  Yesterday, March 25th, Gov. Polis said all restaurants and bars in Colorado must close or do take-out only (as in 6 other states right now including Illinois). Essential businesses can stay open. Strange times indeed.  We join New York City, New Jersey, Illinois, California, Louisiana, and about 20 states total with these stay-home orders.  

March 17.  I left the hand sanitizer ad and Trump trying to act like he is competent on this photo. 

Our health experts, including Dr. Fauci, are on the news giving the best info they have at the time.  We are in trouble with no competent federal leadership...very scary.  Governors seem to be taking charge and that feels better.  Seems that the lack of tests is a huge problem - we don't know who has had it and who has it now.  We know who ends up in the hospital and that is about 1% and not necessarily older people.  

This is an article from Discover about viruses in general and is interesting science.

The goal is to FLATTEN THE CURVE so healthcare facilties aren't overloaded. 

Today, March 30, our news says they are extending the shelter-in-place order for 30 days and we likely won't be out of this until some time in May.  Our # of cases will peak in April they say.  Anyone who can is working from home. 

BTW - I'm  watching limited news but some specials to stay informed.  It's on 24/7 and that's all we around the world are talking about now.  In the U.S. the two big parties are still criticizing each other constantly on everything - without coming together to figure this out.  They did pass a $2 trillion aid package after much haggling.  I'm very disappointed that a quarter of it goes to huge businesses like airlines whose CEOs make hundreds of millions annually.

March 26 - first stimulus package passed

A shout-out to grocery store employees and anyone going to work with the public near them all day.  As well as the health care workers who are in the trenches - especially in New York City and now in New Orleans. They are still begging for protective equipment - masks, ventilators, gloves, sanitizer.

We are growing less concerned with worldwide stats and more with ours here in the states as our numbers grow.

There are currently 740,239 confirmed cases and 35,035 deaths from the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak as of March 

Stats for today, March 30th.

Total U.S. Coronavirus Cases  142,967

Meanwhile, we video chat, work jigsaw puzzles, read, watch TV, run/hike/bike as weather allows, and wait for our numbers of cases to go down.