Covid-19

It's been years since I have written in this blog. Life gets in the way sometimes but currently, the date is May 18, 2020. Years from now people will be talking about this time in the history of the world. This is the time of Covid-19.

The world has been on lockdown since March trying to stem the spreading of the disease and attempting to "flatten the curve". For the past 2 months, we have been at home. Some of us continuing our full-time jobs from our living rooms, kitchens, and home offices. We have learned more about the world of Zoom meetings then we would ever want to know. And, ironically, the value in a roll of toilet paper which continues to be in short supply.

It's hard to document what life is like right now. Anything becomes normal after a time. Only essential businesses are open but visiting a pharmacy or grocery store requires wearing a mask. X marks made with tape are found on the floors with signs reminding you to keep 6 feet between you and the people around you. Limits to the number of people in a place of business means waiting in line outside the store until it is safe for you to enter.

Social distancing has kept us from visiting and hugging our family members. For some, those members are in nursing homes who ceased allowing visitors in March. So many people are fighting for their lives, and some losing that battle, alone in hospitals. Visitors are not allowed.

Weddings, funerals, and baptisms have been canceled. The churches are not open and gatherings of groups are not allowed. This past weekend my University, Notre Dame, held its first-ever virtual degree conferral. There is no commencement for the Class of 2020 around the world.

Large companies like JC Penny and Macy's are filing for bankruptcy. Many small businesses will never reopen. The economy has been hard hit. Even the government has extended tax filings from May 15 to July 15. The US government has issued stimulus checks in the amount of $1200 per adult and $500 per child. There is rumor of a second round of checks being sent.

Such is life during a world pandemic.

We don't yet know what will happen next. Phase 2 of slowly reopening the world has just begun. For those of us living now only looking back from the future will tell us if we have been successful in defeating the disease.

For now, we watch the nightly news and wonder what our new normal will be when we begin to cautiously emerge from our homes. And for those of us who find extra time on our hands we attempt to document for future generations what this time in our lives is like.