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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

<strong> In the past week my niece in IL revealed that 4 of her family of 5 have tested positive for covid-19.</strong> She posted this on Facebook. Their degree of symptomatology varied from mild through debilitating headache. They had not been happy @ being quarantined. Apparently this occurred after my 80 year old brother and wife had visited on their way home to the west coast. A daughter had shared food with a friend who was positive yet she failed to test positive. A result was <strong>a niece and nephew living in TN revealed they, too, had been previously diagnosed with Covid-19- </strong>apparently after a Halloween party. I’d questioned their party plans when my younger brother said they’d visited and were borrowing his flight suit for their Halloween party Top Gun costumes . When I expressed surprise that they would participate in a party my brother minimized the risk, saying it was only with their neighbors. <strong> Then my cousin in PA revealed that she and her husband had both been covid-19 positives;</strong> this revelation was also via the original FaceBook post by my niece…. I’m not surprised at this. Yes a rabid Truper who has railed against mask wearing, quarantine and physical distancing, vowing to hug whomever she wishes and attend church assemblies. She is a Christian Nationalist and believes the conspiracies Trump’s delusions broadcast. In each case the adult male seemed to have a more severe case than their wife -although it’s possible that women cope better with pain and under-report discomfort. <strong> A friend’s mother was transferred</strong> from her SNF<strong> to a hospital ICU.</strong> The mother had dementia and has been <strong> unable to encode why her daughter failed to visit her ( unable due to quarantine of nursing home). She died.</strong> <strong> My friend had reached out for support on Facebook</strong> and was appreciative of the prayers and concern expressed by others.<strong> It’s interesting that FaceBook can be so useful like this</strong> @ a time when we are forced to be separated and grief-stricken. In the past week my honey reports his married cousins both have been positive. in PA Dutch area . I’ve remained quarantined since 3/21/20 but he has not. His business is not one with a high degree of contact bothers and he shops when stores first open, limiting contact & shopping when stores should be cleanest. men seem to minimize the risk for contagion. Their seems to be some sense that the people we know wouldn’t have the virus … they also believe the Trump bs & minimization. Vaccination started this week (yesterday). Distribution and the funds for this haven’t seemed to have been funded as needed and the first vaccine needs special cold storage & two successive vaccinations. Meanwhile, we now have over 300,00 who’ve died. As I write this I’m getting a news flash that there is a new mutant strain of Covid-19 and it is spreading rapidly. I’ll be continuing to stay in & have food and supplies delivered. Guess I’ll book my post Labor Day shore cottage and think ahead longer term.<strong> When this first started (mid-March 2020) a friend asked me if our quarantine wouldn’t end in about 3 weeks. I’d said no, & estimated about 3 months... I hope it’s not 3 years.</strong>