Post 6 - March 17, 2020
Day 6…
A friend of mine sent me this link for uninsured people who need medical attention. I pass it along in case it can be of some help : https://www.localsyr.com/health/coronavirus/special-enrollment-for-uninsured-new-yorkers-now-available-as-coronavirus-cases-climb/?fbclid=IwAR2faNqLnErGv-89wRztLn7STLuI2xZeaIYEw0NetDahj3ajP-bVOa2PiR0
There’s a petition going around to pressure the City government to freeze rent and mortgage payments until this is through. That would take a great deal of pressure off of everybody. Let’s see if they step up.
I discovered today, that the entire company of JERSEY BOYS on the Norwegian Bliss is not, in fact, on their way home, they are still on the Bliss. They have been in the middle of the Hudson River for a while but are now heading to Norfolk, VA where they will all be held in quarantine for two weeks before being able to go home. I am guessing that when they do go home, their respective countries will then each require them to be in a further quarantine for another two weeks.
To the amazing JB Bliss company: I know that your PSM disembarked and the new PSM was not allowed to board so you are now leaderless throughout this time. Given the fact that I actually do know all of you, here are some ready-made responses to the great ideas that I know you are all going to come up over this next while you are trapped on the boat:
1) No.
2) I don’t think that that’s a good idea.
3) No.
4) Have you thought that idea all the way through?
5) You’re only came up with that idea because you are bored. Go to the gym, (with wipes) work out and think about it.
6) No.
7) If you’ve really thought about it, and that’s what you’ve decided to do, for heaven’s sake please don’t tell me about it. (and don’t post.)
8) Definitely no.
Since yesterday, Trump got on a call with the State Governors and, in essence, told them to take care of themselves. They are all in so far over their heads that, frankly, they should resign. On a positive note for those of us here in NY, Governor Cuomo is really stepping up to the plate. He seems to be emerging as a real leader during this. Falling far short of that is the Administration in DC. What the White House doesn’t seem to realize is that if Trump says something like “Well, it may last until July or August”, that that is new information for everybody and completely changes all of our expectations. That’s what causes a panic. I’m not saying that the news should be sugar-coated at all - please tell me what’s going on - but please tell me at the same time that you are aware of what you are saying and what that is going to mean.
Mayor DeBlasio announced that NYC is likely to enact a “Shelter in Place” order in the next 48 hours. You will only be able to leave your homes for groceries, health care and exercise. (The exercise seems a gray area to me.) You will be required to stay at least 6 feet away from people you don’t live with.
What that announcement has effectively done is re-spark a panic-run on groceries. Lines are out the door. Really, “Shelter in Place” is what we all should be doing now anyway. Nothing should change.
People are posting in relief that the Chinese are now closing their testing stations and that they feel they have it contained. I am not sure that we can take hope from that because we don’t have any testing going on here to begin with. We don’t know where it is. The Chinese aggressively tested huge swaths of the population and discovered hot-spots and trends and contained it all rationally. We are doing NONE of that.
Every day things change radically. The White House announcements are getting more and more blunt and dire but they are missing the point. All we want to know is what is going on and what we should do. Well, at this point, what we should do is stay home, check in with each other, and chill out. It doesn’t matter how long this is going to last, because honestly nobody at all knows. This is what is happening now, so this is what we need to deal with now.
Check your vitamins and medications. Get enough for a month or two.
Stock up on whatever non-perishable foods you can find. By stock up, I mean have enough for a couple of weeks, not a couple of years. “Shelter in Place” could easily expand to lockdown if people don’t start changing their behaviors. Be prepared to be in your home for a while.
Here are some pictures from around Manhattan today. Things are changing but life is going on. As it does and as it should. People are getting used to lining up 6’ apart from each other. Our new normal is being created daily. Stay open to it. It’s what will bring this all to a close far sooner.
Live your life and respect the people around you to let them live theirs as well.