COVID-19: Day 6 Shelter in place March 22 2020

I had the day off yesterday and today and I was able to actually get some rest, albeit, not enough sleep.  I noticed that I have only been sleeping an average of 6 hours since the Shelter in Place was announced.  I don't think I am more anxious than the average person, so I don't know if my lack of sleep is due to the corona virus situation.  

There are over 30,000 reported cases of the virus in the United States but thankfully, we have not had too many deaths from it.  It feels wrong to say "thankfully" to that last statement.  I don't mean to disregard the lives of those we have already lost, I know each life is precious.  But compared to the devastation that Italy is facing right now, I am thankful that our state (California) has chosen to act relatively quickly to try to be a step ahead of the virus.  

Today, my husband took the day off from work and we decided to take the dog for a walk around our block.  We have a huge block, probably an average of 3 to 4 suburban blocks so it took us about 30 minutes to walk around it.  It was a bad call.  Dog was scared of the noise and was reluctant to keep walking just a third of the way thru (we made him walk still) and my allergies started to act up.  I was miserable by the time we got home.  I hurriedly hopped in the shower to get rid of the pollen.  So beginning tomorrow, no more long walks for the dog.

Someone we know is under observation for COVID 19.  I pray that it is nothing more than a cold or a flu.  But I think where they live, anyone who show even mild symptoms are placed under observation.  I don't want to worry because worrying won't help. 

The other day, I wrote that airports might close either here or in the Philippines.  I think we are indeed moving in that direction.  I read this morning that only Filipino citizens will be allowed to enter the country.  Foreigners are being asked to leave.  There are still thousands of tourists stuck in the islands as domestic flights have been suspended (ferries and buses also cancelled), so they have no way to get to an international airport and try to get home.  It is a total mess.  In the last two weeks, I think I only had 2 or 3 clients who decided to proceed with their flight.  This week, I might need to start cancelling those who are traveling in April.  

If someone stumbles upon this blog right now and you are still not practicing social distancing, I plead you to stay home.  You might not be gravely ill, you may be asymptomatic, but that doesn't mean you cannot infect the people around you.  It has been widely reported in the news that it is mostly the elderly that dies from COVID 19, but other perfectly healthy individuals can get very sick, too.  It could lead to permanent lung damage and/or death, even if you are young and have no pre-existing condition.  Think about your parents, your grandparents, think about the people you love.  This shelter in place is the only thing that will protect us for now.  While they are testing medicines to fight the virus, there is no silver bullet, no vaccine to protect us. We are all vulnerable.  I don't know how else to explain how serious this matter is.  The fact that states are telling its people to stay home, countries locking down, thousands of people dying. This is serious.  You may think it doesn't affect you, it does.  No one is immune to this.  It will affect your life one way or another.