Reflections on COVID-19 Part 2

June 18, 2020 - It's been a while since I wrote anything. I've been busy. We got my dad out of assisted living because he was really suffering in there. It became a prison. Not at the fault of the facility (although I'm not sure they did as well as they might have) but just because of the rules they had to live under. He was basically confined to his room 24x7. He was allowed out, but it's not his nature to productively work on his mental health. So he was getting very disoriented.
He's been fine since the day we brought him out.

So there is one huge impact on people. The people living in assisted living or nursing homes. It's really inhumane what they've done to those people.

Now the country is divided about wearing masks or not wearing masks. And then this George Foster death at the hands of the police in Minneapolis which lead to riots all around the country. I believe the COVID lock down was a factor in that. People were simply frustrated so badly that this thing set them off. What was done was simply crazy.

June 25, 2020 - There are still vestiges of the virus going on, primarily in businesses. The employees are wearing masks (they are required to by the state). But very few customers are wearing them.

For me, I'm working exclusively at home. No travel. And that makes it possible to deal with all the changes we're doing to have dad living here with us. If I was traveling, that probably would not be sustainable. But I guess if the virus didn't happen, and I was still traveling, then dad could still be living at the Waterford.

June 30, 2020 - I went to the UPS store today to drop off some packages. They don't open until 10 AM. I really don't see how this helps control the spread of COVID. They want only 4 people in the store at a time, and have the door locked and let people in (at least this is what the sign says. I haven't seen it in operation yet.) The question I have is, how do you spread people out by shortening your hours of operation? This is completely ignorant. The COVID pandemic has exposed a lot of ignorance, I'll tell you that.
The sign says they will start opening at 8AM on July 6.

July 12, 2020 - The virus is spreading in the southern states. Who knows why just in Texas, Florida, Arizona, but not Georgia, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Makes no sense, unless the reporting is not accurate. Or is it spreading in those states but they aren't red states so the media doesn't report that? Of course the news media is making big news of it. They love a crisis or disaster, even if they have to fabricate it.

I now know one person who has the virus here in Mansfield. I don't know him personally, but know the name.. he used to go to our church. I understand that he is quite ill, but getting better I. That's the first person that I've known of in all of these months, that's even had the virus.

Our church has asked everyone attending the 9AM service to wear a mask. It's some of the older and most devout Christians who do not. I don't understand that. Are they just simple minded and and don't realize they've been asked to wear a mask? Maybe it's the way it was communicated. I suppose that it was only made known on-line and these folks aren't watching YouTube or looking at the Web sites. If you just came to the service, they've never said that you are supposed to wear a mask. Which is poor leadership. Maybe they do have people at the door asking folks to wear masks. Not sure how direct they are.

July 15, 2020 - On a Third Quarter kick off call for the Americas. The exec says that this has been a very challenging year. I'm not sure it's really been all the uniquely challenging. In some ways it has been easier. It has been somewhat different, in that we're not traveling. I think we're selling less software and we'll certainly blame that on the virus, but I'm not convinced that is the case. The next exec says we're living in different times. She says they are very different. In some ways yes, but from a business standpoint, I don't see that much difference.

July 16, 2020 - I learned that a woman I know very well has tested positive. It brings a flood of thoughts. Will I get it? Do I have it? What will happen to her? We have none of those thoughts with the flu. It can be very severe, but that is a pretty rare exception. But we hear so much about it, the government and media have made such a big deal out of it, that we worry. It's hard not to worry. But as a Christian, I'm called not to worry.

July 22, 2020 - I saw an article today that "Yale epidemiology professor Dr. Harvey Risch said Tuesday that he believes the President Trump-touted drug, hydroxychloroquine, could save up to 100,000 lives if used properly to treat the coronavirus." Now it is possible that this Yale professor is politically biased as well, but he seems to have done some research and found the test results that prove his point. And if in fact hydroxychloriquine is as effective as he and others claim, then the media and many medical folks have blood on their hands. They have claimed that hydroxychloroquine is not effective when in fact it is effective and could have helped saved lives.

It raises the question, of whether people are knowingly willing to allow people to die in order the see Trump disgraced. You sort of have to come to the conclusion that they are. You have to believe they are willing to see the economy damaged, people under severe stress etc. all for political purposes.

July 23, 2020 -
An article that describes that of things in the US in that past 4 months. Its a very sad state of affairs. I have no expectation that things will get better. A large segment of the American people are completely corrupt, or so incredibly ignorant that its stunning.

July 27, 2020 - Saw a team of "front line doctors" who are treating COVID patients every day. One doc said she had treated 350 patients and had not lost one. Treated them all with hydroxychloroquine, zinc ,and arithizimiacin (or whatever). They claimed that 75% of the patients who had died did not have to die. You know even if its 25% its a terrible, terrible shame that the media conspired with doctors and bureaucrats to say that HCQ isn't effective and that it's even dangerous, just because Trump said it was effective, and took it himself. That they would allow people to die just to make political points against Trump. They are deranged. Its very sad. Really, its criminal. This is like Stalin letting millions starve to death. They just don't care about people.

July 30, 2020 - On Thursday AM I saw a Facebook post showing the the Ohio Board of Pharmacology had banned the use of HCQ for treatment of COVID. Around noon I saw a post the Gov. Dewine had asked them to reverse that decision and they did. But for a couple of weeks, it was not possible for a patient to get a prescription filled for HCQ for the treatment of COVID.

Now I'm seeing articles talking about the future vaccines. I think these vaccines are being recommended by the same geniuses who down played or even blocked the use of HCQ. I can tell you that I will not be in any hurry to get vaccinated. I've never had a flu vaccine, so why bother with a COVID vaccine? Especially considering who is recommending it.