COVID-19

A few weeks ago, I was drawn down the wormhole of the novel coronavirus that has gripped much of China and is spreading globally. COVID-19 is currently merely a notable news item in our region, but our Chinese neighbors are experiencing full-on pandemic conditions.

In December 2019, I booked a March 2020 flight to New Zealand that routed through Shanghai, China. I thought that would be novel. But as information began to percolate about the virus, I reconsidered my plans. Ultimately, I cancelled my reservations and have decided that, for me, this is not a good time for international travel. Cycling down under can wait.

Spending a while viewing Twitter posts from Wuhan area Chinese “citizen journalists” (some of whom have now disappeared) reveal very stark stories and images. One gets the sense that official reporting by their government reveal suppressed counts of persons infected and dead. Extreme measures of quarantine and treatment appear to be violently enforced.

We are learning—and are going to learn—much about the human condition as this virus spreads globally and ultimately impacts our own city, neighborhood, and households. What seems distant will likely come near. This is a search-your-heart time. Love all.