Sunday, June 21, 2020

Going backwards

We had been doing well in the pandemic, as a country, as a state, as a city. But for a few days in a row we've had double-digit growth in cases. That doesn't sound like much compared to other countries right now, but it is the same amount of growth we were seeing just before the country was shut down.

There are some differences. We have better testing now. We have contact tracing. We know where most of the infections came from. They came from people who ignored the fact that they needed to quarantine. They came from people who didn't care. Who visited extended family, every night, while infectious. Because of that, we've gone backwards.

Restaurants are *not* opening for more people after all. Fewer people allowed to gather in a home. More police checks on quarantine.

Also, a new hardship fund. If you get sick, this is money to help you make it through three weeks so you don't feel you have to go to work.

Guys, it's just three weeks. Please just wait out the three weeks.

Soon, it feels like there will be so few places around the world that are beating this, that it will become harder and harder to beat this. Maybe by doing well early we'll just end up doing poorly three months behind everyone else -- that happened to Australia in 1919.

And meanwhile, around the world, the countries (country) that should have been leading are giving up.

Honestly it's all so depressing.

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