The State of the Virus
Mar. 12th, 2020 09:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So here's where we are today in Boston. I'm still going to the office in Chinatown. Some folks who are immune-compromised, have asthma or other issues are working at home. We've been told it's fine to stay home and I will probably do that next week. I take the Green Line every day, which is probably the most dangerous thing I do but it's half empty. Everyone gets a seat and we sit grimly clutching our phones. My older daughter was home on spring break but the college has asked that students not come back and will be moving all classes online until at least early April. Most of her stuff in her dorm room in PA and her upcoming play is postponed. Some colleges are just sending all the kids home for the rest of the semester. You can imagine the turmoil in Boston. My younger daughter's school is open but they are ending all concerts and evening activities. This means that the annual parent-teacher musical is cancelled which is devastating to me. If parents of children test positive, they close the schools for cleaning for a few days but right now it seems they will remain open. People are panic buying food as if there was a big snow storm or hurricane coming. (Eggs and milk!) Also, for some weird reason, toilet paper. Yesterday I went to Trader Joe's in the afternoon and it was packed with silent, sad people filling their carts. But nobody really knows why we're doing it. The stores are still running and open, trucks are still delivering. The fear is its own virus. It feels like the time after the Marathon bombing. Quiet dread. We seem to have the idea that if we can get through the next two weeks, all will be well. As if Spring is coming to save us. Daffodils, crocuses, and even tulips are emerging. I'm trying to stay focused on nature, on the now and being flexible. The future is foggy. Will we be able to take our Memorial Day trip to the Cape? Will there be summer camp? Will we have jobs? I keep thinking of the The Next Right Thing from Frozen II. "I won't look too far ahead / It's too much for me to take / But break it down to this next breath, this next step /This next choice is one that I can make". Will this all seem silly someday because A) it all worked out fine or B) because none of this will matter in a post-pandemic apocalypse? Stay tuned!