2020 and Covid19

Oh, where to start? The year blossomed as a relatively safe journey into the next 12 months. January led us to believe all was well. aWe weren't told everything about January. That came 3 months later and come it did. It came to the tune of quarantines and masks and hand santizers and frequent hand washing. Not much more information was given on self care. They (the scientists) said  the length of time it took to sing happy birthday 3 times would break the lipid coating surrounding the virus and deactivate or kill it. My hands are red and raw and my blood pressure is high from the anxiety. We are now told to wear masks if we suspect we are carrying it to protect others around us. Around us means staying 6ft. away from other people. Don't touch your face when out around people and in stores. Use santizers to clean your hands unless you are home because soap and water work best to kill the virus you may have come in contact with. As the days pass, more information is filtered down via the media from the scientists and the length of infection on paper, wood and metal is released.

Initially only people suspect has to wear masks. A month passes and now masks are suggested for everyone. 

All non essential businesses are to be closed. I assumed this mean doctors, nurses and any hospital or care takers were considered 'essential'. Not so. The big box stores stayed open to supply electrical or plumbing parts in the event a homeowner needed to repair a critical breakdown. Washers and dryers appparently are essential. Anyplace that sold a crust of bread could stay open and the restaurants did 'curbside' or takeout only'. Curfews in place and the months rolled along. 
Hospitals pleading for help from the federal government while medical people worked in unsafe conditions to fight this virus and try to save some of the people stricken. 

Governors, the Democratic ones, were blatanly ignored and vilified by the commander in chief. He didn't try to hide his dislike nor his preference on who he would offer Federal help. Death continued to race upward while morgues were set up outside the hospitals to store the bodies and still the Defence Protection Act was passed but not initiaed by the commander in chief. A bidding war broke out between the govenors of the states on ventilators and PPE's. Soon trenches were being dug and wooden coffins lined up at the bottom of those trenches of the unclaimed. Dirt was shoved in and we moved on.

One of the things I will always remember is the President insinuating that the massive use of gloves by the doctors, nurses and hospital staff was excessive compared to months in the pass before this virus hit. He insinuated they were being stolen by staff. 
As a nurse working containment, double gloving is mandatory. Changing gloves after iniating contact with a patient and before seeing another patient is mandatory for the health of said patients. 

The fight continues with the mayors now on opening the economy while the virus death count continues to rise. Testing has been stopped at the site that is free here. If you want testing, you will pay for it. Most people here are unemployed right now and food money is the main concern. Food lines at food banks are swelling and the supply is low. 

Food supply is in danger as the meat packing workers are becoming infected and the plants are shutting down.

The president wants to open the economy, 20 million people out of work and he is eying his chances at the upcoming election as he has always touted the strong economy as his main point for reelection. 
Every briefing from the Whitehouse is now a rally for his base. He brags about the testing available for everyone as the scientists say this is the only safe way to open the economy. MTest and quarantine and test again. 

The govenors do not have the means to acquire the tests. Only the Federal Goverment has access to the means to order and acquire. Knowing the only safe way to reenter the marketplace is testing and the months it would take to do this, the president is insisting the market place be opened without testing everyone which would be a monumental task. 

A plan has been presented on a 'slow opening'. Rules are set on how this is to be done. Nobody is buying this and the public remains cautious and I remain nervous and at home.

My trips from my house are to my clients house where I maintain the position of his personal RN. I slip through the drive through window at Walgreens with my hand sanitizer close by, pick up meds and roll right back to his house. Occasionally I do a drive through for lunch pickup; shop for groceries every two weeks and only go to the 'senior hour' shopping where the shoppers are few and the aisle are directional, following the arrows on the floor and spacing 6 feet away from other shoppers. The checkout line is now encasing the cashier behind plastic, while you slip your debit card into the machine and pay the bill.  There is very little chatter with people around you. 

Everything is a danger. The plastic bags, the card, the door handle of your car and the bottom of your shoes. Don't touch your face. Don't touch your face. A chant I have to do to remind myself. Go home, wash your hands. 

Amazingly there are still people posting that this is no different then the normal flu that passess through each year. To this I say, the numbers of casualties for the normal flu is over the span of 12 months in the year. THIS VIRUS has killed over 30,000 people in 8 WEEKS! 
I haven't got to the point where I rip all my clothes off as soon as I get in the door. I don't want to give my 90 yr  old client a myocardial infarction.