Rona the big wake up call

March 20, 2020 What a beginning of 2020. I can see that the novel Coronavirus has halted more then business, the economy and travel. It has put a stop to some of the attacks on people that are fighting for the environment. I hope that common respect and decency arise out of this pandemic. I certainly feel sad for the people who are losing family members to the virus. This just show how much we are connected the world physically and how much we value our health. Alaska, so far, has had one case. But there are U.S. Alaska residents returning home from Level 3 countries. There are countries not allowing any people aside from their own residents to enter their country. This virus is a new strain and there is currently no vaccine against it, therefore, making it a new threat. What I read today was that the University of Washington is beginning trial works on a vaccination. However, this also takes time to create. So it is really important that the tips shared across all media be taken seriously. The most vulnerable is the elderly, and immune compromised, however, in a new case in Washington state a 40 year old Dr. is in ICU, it hit him hard and obviously not without symptoms, otherwise he would not be in ICU. In the small communities these cautions must be followed as the small communities do not have the medical equipment, or quarantined areas as larger communities.

At the end of the week. There was 6 cases of the virus in Ketchikan. The spreading began around the 10th of March. Travel related, meaning someone traveled out of state and returned back home with it and then spread it to their spouse. Being in close proximity to co-workers and patients has got me on edge. This is now hitting close to home and starting to make me feel more anxious daily. To keep safe is to keep your distance and keep hands clean, and stay away from others. There has been a couple of questions on my mind and if once have the virus are antibodies created against it? Has there been cases of reinfection? Shall people start using the face masks?

Coming down the turn pike. A friend of mine who owns a shop and rents chairs in her Hair Salon texted me in a panic. She pays about $9000 in expenses monthly – she lives here in Juneau. She closed her shop last week when all the hair shops did as well. Then a few days later she was not sure she was going to survive without revenue. There is already an negative impact of the economy. Restaurants have closed or limited to their take-outs. There is no large cruise ships going to be arriving. No tourism businesses the transient workers are not renting housing and looking elsewhere for a job. I hope that the containment and a vaccine be created and given to those who are most susceptible by next year so we can continue enjoying our lives with our family, friends and loved one’s. As a people we really need to think of a better way to care for our environments with less pollution, destruction, and depletion. And I think that this pandemic allows and is proof that if we really do care about our world that we can take a break so that ecosystems, rivers, and the air can reboot, well at least take a breath of constant bombardment of pollution and extraction.