Notes From The Year of the Plague

The first COVID-19 death in Georgia was announced today.  Republican Gov. Brian Kemp (who, it should be remembered, as Secretary of State cheated and stole the gubernatorial election from Stacey Abrams) said the victim was a 67-year-old Cobb County man who also had “underlying medical conditions.”

As of today, Georgia has 31 confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus, but without widespread testing, no one really knows the total number.  Add to that the fact that many people will only experience mild, flu-like symptoms and may not even seek medical attention, and you realize the pandemic may be much more wide-spread than anyone realizes.  And  since nobody really knows how many people are actually affected, no one knows the real mortality rate. 

Test kits are still not widely available and our so-called president seems more concerned about the effects of the pandemic on the stock market and his re-election prospects than he does about the health of the American people.  At a time when the nation desperately needs someone they can trust to give them reliable information and hope, Trump's malignant narcissism couldn't be more obvious or distressing. 

Trump appeared visibly uncomfortable reading off the teleprompter in his Oval Office speech yesterday.  He announced, among other things, that his Administration has struck a deal  with the health insurance industry so that all co-pays for testing and treating coronavirus will be waived. On the surface, that sounds like a good thing but insurance industry spokespeople were quick to correct the record and say that actually co-pays would only be waived for testing, not for treatment - you're still on the hook for co-pays on that.  And since testing is not available anyway, they're graciously waiving fees on a service you're not likely to get in the first place.  So, in short, the "art of the deal" guy got absolutely nothing from the insurers.  I wonder what they got in concession for their offer from him? 

The NBA has suspended its season and the NCAA announced today that it is cancelling the men's and women's basketball tournament, aka, March Madness.  Minor League Baseball is expected to announce suspension of the season any day now.

The University of Georgia and Atlanta Public Schools are closed.  State workers were ordered to telecommute and work from home.  

I haven't left the house in three days, although its been the incessant rain and soggy weather that's kept me i as much as contagion fears.  I have enough pasta, rice, and beans to last two weeks if necessary, although I wouldn't look forward to that diet.  If anything drives me to the market, it will be kitty litter and cat food - I forgot to stock up on that and you try explaining to two hungry cats why they won't be eating or pooping in a clean box.

At this point, I'm resigned that we're all going to eventually come down with the coronavirus - the majority of the population will eventually become infected.  The only question is will we experience "mild, flu-like symptoms" or will we be on the unfortunate end of the bell-shaped curve?

The end is high.  There is no cure and our leaders are corrupt and inept.  We are doomed.

Go wash your hands.