It seems that people across the US, as well as other countries are at least making an attempt to not become infected by the Wuhan Virus. Yes, I just said that because unless you’ve been living in a cave until recently, this is where the coronavirus epidemic, by all reports, began. It’s just silly not to call it that. In these times where thousands of people are dying from this virus around the world, why do we need to be politically correct, attempting to not cause any hurt feelings? It’s not necessarily pointing an accusatory finger, it’s naming a disease from the area of origination. Was it racist to name one of the most deadly diseases Ebola? Our what about MERS? So referring to what is called officially COVID-19 – naming where it began, doesn’t seem out of place.

The mostly volunteer quarantine that most of us are doing right now may have an effect on the spread of the virus. In just two weeks, the rates of infection may be receding. Note that this is preliminary data and is usually one to two weeks behind based on testing. Still, if we continue to see a drop in infections over the next few weeks, that may signal at least the beginning of the end and some light at the end of the tunnel to where many of us may be able to go about our normal lives. Whatever is left of those lives by then. I try to be positive. Where I live, the rate is extremely low currently, but that doesn’t mean it may not spike at some point. So, although painful to sit around all day, it may end up being worth the  aggravation.

Of course, they’re also testing some therapies, the one we’ve heard the most about is hydroxychloroquine,  which seems promising, but there’s not enough data show show it’s efficacy as yet, but the FDA has approved it for clinical trials and for patients hospitalized with the virus. There are some others as well, and a few of those are also going through trials. Maybe we’ll have an idea of an effective therapy in the coming weeks or months.  Right now though, it looks like separation, and hygiene, may get us through this in the short term. Of course the gold ring will be when a vaccine is developed, one of which is under clinical trial now with one or more other possibilities starting soon (one this week, I think).  As we’ve been told though, if a vaccine is developed, it’s probably a minimum of a year away. We don’t know if we’ll even need it for the general public because so little is known about Wuhan Virus. We have no idea whether it will be seasonal, like influenza. But, we’ll eventually have something to stop another potential epidemic. Nothing wrong with that.

So, for now it’s stay at home, as much as we can. Sure, we all need groceries, and the need to go to the pharmacy of other things on occasion, ut we can keep that to a  minimum. Has anyone noticed that now everyone’s doing food delivery now? I think every fast food joint that exists will now deliver because of this virus. Hek, I saw recently that Burger King was delivering. Of course, many were doing that before, but now it looks like pretty much everyone is doing it. Want a “home cooked” meal delivered? You can get it. so, unless any of us has to, there’s no real reason to have to take inordinate risks, regularly.

Of course no matter how much the government, at all levels warn us, there will be some that refuse to follow the guidelines and that will mean a longer interment in our homes. I’m not referring to just getting outside, going for a walk, staying safely away from others , but organized gatherings where if just a few asymptomatic people were, then the virus could spread to dozens of others with the possibility of a tragic outcome. Think about being the one person at a small part of say six, that is a carrier without any symptoms. It’s spread to the other five, who then go home and spread it around to their family and neighbors…it becomes exponential in just a couple of weeks.

Wich brings me to this idiot, a pastor that held not one but two packed services in his megachurch Sunday. He was arrested on a misdemeanor charge on Monday. To me, megachurch indicates several thousand congregants. The story I linked didn’t indicate the number of people present other than to say they were “shoulder to shoulder”. Consider that if only a few, say twenty, scattered about the auditorium had the virus, what that may mean for the outbreak in Tampa. I heard some numbskull on television complaining about this arrest being a violation of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment. I was honestly astonished a supposedly intelliegent person would say that. No one’s saying anyone cannot practice their religious belief, all that’s being said is do not gather in groups to do so, taking into account not only others in the congregation, but the remainder of the community as well. I guess we’ll discover in a couple of weeks whether Tampa has experienced a large spike in the contagion.

Humans are social animals, and it’s difficult for us to stay in relative isolation for a lengthy period of time, but I think that if we want to move past this, we have to make that sacrifice for now. We can’t afford, medically or economically, to have this virus spreading through society any more than it already has.