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We’re seeing dramatic differences in rates of COVID infection, illness, and death in different places. What do you think about these differences?
It's so annoying that all of the sudden anyone who has access to Facebook is the same expertise as a medical doctor or research scientist. People still talking stupid about vaccine rumors and misinformation. Meanwhile, people are still dying and getting sick and making other people sick accidentally. It's all so stupid and frustrating. I did a fireside chat to answer questions from students about the vaccine and one student really tried to put his internet conspiracies against my PhD in molecular biology. I mean, he really went for it.
May 13, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
There is too much to worry about this week. Things are still horrible in India and other countries. There are so many anti-vaxers in the US that they might not get herd immunity. Varients are spreading. The UK is still only vaccinating over 40s and have plans to have everything opened next week. My husband doesn't have any vaccines yet. And they are finding the Indian variant here.... And then there are over 1000 rockets (as of 12.5 at 12:20pm) being hurled into Israel. My friends and family spending the night in bomb shelters. Watching the horrifying fighting in Lod. Just the deep fear of what will happen. And then seeing that there might be mosquitos in the UK with the Zika virus (I haven't thought about that in a long time). For so long it felt like the only thing going on in the world was COVID (not that was true), but now that COVID is in many places slowing down (please God, may it continue that way), the world is back to being a big mess.
May 13, 2021
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Talk about the last time something made you cry.
I think the last time I cried was when my friend F. died. She was a homeless lady that lived on the corner of my street and I really cared about her a lot. She had become a good friend during the pandemic and we would talk almost everyday. I still don't know how exactly she died, I just know that she was found dead on the street in the middle of the night back in January. Everytime I walk by her spot I think of her and I miss her. But I know she is in a better place where things are easier and less painful.
May 15, 2021
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Do you have any concerns about the long-term impact of the pandemic on children, either in general or in your life? If so, talk about one or two of your biggest concerns.
I think way too many children have been socialized in a way that has made them overly dependent upon getting their way and feeling easily maligned or "put upon," and I think the pandemic has just made this worse. We already had a culture, in the US at least, where every kid got an award, e.g., for simply showing up. The stories I've heard from friends and some of what I've seen/heard about in my extended family makes it seem like this has just gotten worse. The depression. The social isolation. The boredom. Come on, kids. Do something useful and stop whining! It's getting real old.
May 15, 2021
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How is the pandemic affecting any children in your life? Give an example or two of some specific ways you've seen this happen.
I have a great nephew whose social interactions (for a toddler) have been nil outside of his parents and distanced visits with his grandparents on a few occasions. That’s a year of not normal growth in terms of play and learning to be around other people. His parents live in an area with some high Covid rates so it was truly necessary to follow strict distancing but wow, so weird to see.
May 15, 2021
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Talk about what brings you happiness these days.
My primary source of happiness is my thrice weekly swim and conversation with a friend. This is holding me together, gives me something to look forward to. I wasn't that happy with my husband before the pandemic and now I am really tired of him. Too much time with him does not elevate my feelings for him. It is so good to get out and laugh and commiserate with a friend!
May 15, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
This week we took our toddler daughter for her first Covid test. Yesterday she had a low fever that seemed to come and go and a snotty runny nose, with some coughing and sneezing. Last night she was very congested and woke up whimpering several times. I started to worry maybe she DOES have Covid and if so, thank God were both vaccinated so we can properly take care of her if she gets sicker. Still waiting for the results to come back but she’s already back to normal. I’m still sad that she missed her last day of daycare at the old house (her teacher is moving them to her new house starting Monday). Sometimes I feel ungrateful when I complain about the things I am fortunate enough to complain about (like the fact that I even have daycare, or paid sick leave, or the ability to work from home, or my health and vaccination status…..) then I feel guilty in addition to feeling sorry for myself.
May 15, 2021
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Since the pandemic started, does time feel any different to you? Does it feel slower than usual, or faster than usual, or basically the same? If time feels different, give an example or two of what has changed.
Omg time is such a mess. My daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms are all completely thrown off. I keep forgetting to make credit card payments and finally had to put a reminder on my phone (I swear they removed the automatic payment feature to cash in on our collective pandemic brain). I’m usually super on top of my bills and I pay in full each month but I’ve literally been late three times in the last year! I’m lucky my credit hasn’t taken a huge hit. I’ve been too embarrassed to tell my husband each time but here I am blabbing it to the universe haha! I finally got a new credit card under my husband’s account that he will manage the payments for, and am weaning myself off of my old card. I hope when life becomes more normal -whatever that means- I’ll be able to be more conscious of time.
May 15, 2021
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Are you doing anything artistic or creative these days that you weren’t doing before? If so, talk about it.
This is a cake I have made twice; once for my niece's birthday in February, and it was so popular that her friend's mom wanted it for her birthday. However, since I won't be here then I made it for her for mother's day. I have been baking more - making bread which I was scared to do before. Making bread has a 'mythic' quality to it and many people are terrified of trying it - including me! - and I love cooking and do jams regularly. Anyway - I was sooo bored and under-utilized that I jumped in and made bread and have extended myself in baking as well. Cooking is the ONLY thing that I still feel competent to do at this point. And it gives me a joy from both completing the activity and feeding people.
May 15, 2021
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¿Hay algo que sienta que ha ganado como resultado de la pandemia? Si es así, hable de eso.
Creo que es difícil cuando uno se da cuenta de que ya no puede cuidar a quien o quienes cuidaba porque no tiene fuerzas y necesita más bien que otra persona cuide de uno. Eso me pasó a mí, por eso me mudé. Y muy a pesar de que mi salud se ha deteriorado bastante, he sido muy feliz viviendo con mi mamá. No estamos de acuerdo en todo, pensamos de manera diferente, pero en la convivencia nos respetamos o evadimos esos puntos de contradicción, de tal forma que podemos acompañarnos, conversar, hacer cosas juntas, bromear, criticar... en fin, nos acompañamos. La verdad este tiempo ha sido de lo más feliz que he conocido. No salgo a trabajar, trabajo desde la casa. No tengo la obligación de hablar con nadie. No tengo horarios rígidos. Si me siento muy mal, me puedo acostar sin dar muchas explicaciones. No tengo que salir y exponerme. Ha sido un tiempo muy bonito. Debido a la pandemia, en los trabajos no me piden que me presenta a las oficinas, puedo hacerlo todo desde casa. Si hay reuniones, son virtuales. Se coordina todo por correo electrónico, whatsapp o llamada telefónica... para mí eso es genial. Entre menos contacto con la gente, mejor y más felicidad.
May 15, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Two emails from me to my cousin V. in Argentina and her reply: Dear V., I just saw curfews in place in BA. I hope you and your family are well. I have has 2 Moderna Vaccines..and go out every day, after being locked down in my house for a year and a half. Yikes. Write if you can. Con mucho Felicidad. Love, Cousin P. Hello P.: how are you so long? You look great unfortunately our Dad passed away on Christmas 2019 at 93 years old. Just before this pandemic from hell. He could never have borne this. Not being able to go out for more than a year, the mask, the cares, the business closed for months... Mom was depressed and then the pandemic started. Luckily, she's medicated well and she's been out a little for a few months. We in my family are ok. Covid free. We take great care of ourselves. In more than a year we only got together once on New Year's Eve with mom. Only 4, with M. and Z. We all cook and once a week we bring Mom food and supplies. On the side of my uncle L. (Dad s brother) and his family, they all had covid. My cousin's husband ( L.'s daughter V.) was the one who had the worst time. He was in intensive care with a ventilator for a month. Now it's fine but with sequels. He is 50 years old. Here everything was more or less well, with care, until Maradona's wake at the end of last year. The government organized it in Plaza de Mayo and everything got out of control. Then came summer, vacations, clandestine parties, and exhaustion. And now, in autumn, we are in the worst stage of the pandemic. And with very few vaccines. They put us in quarantine again but people are already fed up, exhausted and nobody pays attention. Here only the one who wants and who can take care. The vaccines were only for those over 70 years old, health personnel , security, police, teachers, and politicians with their families, their lovers, their friends, etc. I know you have plenty of vaccines. Send some here, please. For now, we will continue to take care of ourselves. It's the only thing that will save us. I haven't seen my friends since March 2020. And winter is coming. It is very cold. But hope is the last thing you lose... I hope you are well and I send you a big hug. Muchos Besos y abrazos!!! Te extraño V. My reply: Carra, Mi Prima V., I am so sorry to hear that your father died. It is a good thing he passed before the evils of COVID befell us all. I see a few news broadcasts on Al Jazeera about how Argentina is besieged by COVID. With all the world begging for vaccines, I struggle to understand why so many people in the USA refuse to take them. Most of these stupid, crazy people are COVID deniers that follow our Hitler-like ex-president Donald Trump. Trump knew how bad COVID is, yet he lied and told everyone it was just like a cold or the flu. And he secretly took the vaccine, while encouraging his followers not to take it. According to a new estimate by the University of Washington, almost 800,000 people in the USA have died of COVID, and still counting. Our government under Trump tried to cover up their deaths and many people who died alone, at home were missed in the count. Right now, because of the vaccines, here in the USA we are almost back to normal. But is an illusion. My heart is breaking for all of humanity - and I'm frightened. India's new double-mutant COVID strain is infecting more than 700,000 people a day and 8,000 Indians die every day. India is on fire with COVID. Their crematoriums are melting. They are running out of wood to ritually burn the bodies. If one country has all these new lethal mutant variants, it's only a matter of time before they infect the entire world. Massive, almost total vaccination is the only way to stop COVID. This New India strain is in five states in the US. I am going to see my brother and friends in New York. My brother lives in the most multicultural part of new york city, Jackson Heights, the epicenter of New York's first infection. He lives on Bangladesh Plaza which is adjacent to Little India. Although I have received both Moderna injections, I am still afraid to visit. I will try to get a third vaccine in New York, surreptitiously, they are now giving them to tourists--hint, hint. I can not believe I will be seventy in July. I was so afraid of COVID I stayed in my apartment for more than a year. I would only go for a walk each night at 2 am when no one was around. I felt like the ghost of COVID haunting the streets. In that year of self-imprisonment, I wrote the first draft of my autobiography. I write every day and am now into the second draft. I can sympathize with the hell you and your friends and family are going through, V. You must be strong for yourself and all the people that love you. Go out as little as possible. Wear two masks. Your government has been failing for many years, but what are they saying about getting you vaccines? I jumped the line by about six weeks, can you? Do you know any friendly doctors who will give you a note that you work/or volunteer in their office and come in direct contact with patients? That's how I got mine. I am mostly healthy, but that is only because of all the medications I have to take every day. I lost two life-long friends who both died of COVID. One in Miami and my friend B., who died here, in Los Angeles. How are your father's brother L. and his family? Are they still sick with COVID, or better now? When was your last Tittero show? Send my love to all of your family. Write again soon. Muchos Besos y abrazos a ti, tambien. P.
May 15, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
I am so relieved to be vaccinated! In the past week, I've started returning to things I used to do before the pandemic. The grocery store doesn't make me uncomfortable and I've even been able to meet up with friends for outdoor meals at restaurants! COVID cases in my area are down and vaccinations are up, but I hope our local rules don't ditch the mask mandates in response to the new CDC guidelines. If anyone who is vaccinated doesn't need a mask inside or out, I think there are unvaccinated people who will also proceed unmasked. I just don't trust everyone to be honest about it, because I think many people who don't want to get vaccinated also have a problem with masks. I feel like it makes my community less safe overall, and I worry a little about my own family just as I was feeling good about being back in the world. Whatever the policies, I will not be ditching my mask anytime soon.
May 15, 2021
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Do you have any concerns about the long-term impact of the pandemic on children, either in general or in your life? If so, talk about one or two of your biggest concerns.
Australia is a lucky country indeed pandemic wise. I have not heard of drastic aftermaths occurring to the children of this state. We have adequate medical facilities and a dedicated healthcare work force. This is my biggest concern today, (15 May 2021,) as Indian Australians who have been visiting India in the past few months will be allowed to start to return to Australia from India. Although it is only fair for Australians to return to Australia to receive proper medical care, there is some worry that they might bring back latent pandemic sources to be exposed after a reasonable period: 1-21 days? Will they be kind enough to be quarantine so that they are safe before they venture out into the open. We are worried the innocent children may catch the pandemic because of this careless kindness. This was probably one of the reasons I grabbed the first opportunity to have my first jab before today.
May 17, 2021
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What has changed most about the world since the pandemic began?
The economy and the way we started to value the presence of people. Even though I used to be an antisocial person, i realize that I've taken my relationships for granted, I wouldn't have refused attending to the church services sometimes or to my friends birthdays, for exemple, if I knew that I wouldn't see many of them again.
May 17, 2021
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Do you have any concerns about the long-term impact of the pandemic on children, either in general or in your life? If so, talk about one or two of your biggest concerns.
YES. Last year they built a playground near my apartment. And it was a lovely playground. Brand new equipment. The problem was - it was completed in late May. And California didn't believe playgrounds should be open. So, every night when I took my walk - I strolled by this playground. I saw the "CAUTION" tag plastered all around it. The equipment sat empty. And it was silent. Those are two things that playgrounds should never be. It deeply saddened me. I don't have children myself but I wondered "what will the children do if they can't even be outside and play?" My heart ached for all the parents out there. How sad that these children couldn't do something normal. Instead we confined them to houses and deprived them of fresh air. Of the opportunity to play with others. To learn social skills, to learn how to share. To be educated. We forced them to grow up when all they wanted to do was play on a simple playground. Towards the end of last year, when the third (I think it was the third...) shutdown happened, the parents revolted. And I applauded them. Now the playground is open. And when I take my walk each night, I think of that small victory. The elementary school closest to me just reopened. That's another important step forward. We have to continue taking baby steps. We have to keep moving forward and give these children something back. We need to let them be children again. Tell them to go back to day dreaming and playing outside again. Tell them to see their friends, go to concerts, do something normal. We need to let them be children again.
May 17, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
I’m feeling nervous. I think we’re getting mixed messages and am not sure what that means... some still won’t get vaccinated, but masks no longer needed, schools open, less restrictions on gathering...so I’m afraid everyone will think it’s over. And maybe it is...maybe It doesn’t matter to the vaccinated, maybe it doesn’t matter to the unvaccinated who will think they haven’t gotten it so far so won’t in the future. I’ve kind of liked my little cocoon, or bubble...it felt safe in the midst of crazy and fear and anger, and I’m not sure how much of that has lessened just because our illness rates are down, because I’m not so sure the “crazy” quotient is reducing. 5/17
May 17, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
OMG - I got the text giving me two appointments for my two shots here in Geneva, Switzerland! I received them yesterday and I had a reaction which I did not expect. I just sat down and wept. My tears were those of relief and pent-up stress, anxiety and sadness. It just seems like such a light at the end of the tunnel. At the same time, I still worry about new variants, all the dumb-ass (excuse my French) anti-vaxxers who make me so ANGRY and the fact that there are so many pockets on the globe that are out of control. I think of my Indian friend here in Geneva who lost her cousin, early 50s no comorbidities, in two days in India. It's just unfathomable. This is still such a tragedy. But - I will get to sing at concerts soon without risking everybody's lives! Most are going for the vaccine, so this should be a summer of cautious rejoicing.
May 17, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
This week the pandemic has affected my life in that I have spent most of my time at work catching flak from parents who are cranky that the school district wants their kids to have a COVID test and stay home for several days after being called in sick, as per county health department guidelines. The pushback comes largely from parents of students with a history of frequent absences and no accompanying doctor's note. I don't believe these students have COVID, nor that they were necessarily symptomatic, nor that keeping them home and testing them for COVID will have a measurable effect on public safety - but I also have zero sympathy for the trouble that this causes the parents and zero inclination to argue for a more lenient interpretation of public health guidelines.
May 18, 2021
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Imagine you’re talking to a couple of high school students in 2050. They ask, “How did the pandemic change the world as you knew it?” How do you think you would answer?
I'm hoping the pandemic makes crap jobs less crap and forces the people at the top to start taking care of their constituents. More pay, better and more affordable housing, more oversight to keep corporate big wigs from making life in the trenches awful for no good reason (a higher CEO bonus is not a good reason). This is the perfect opportunity to get back on a good track to make this country live up to its own ideals and propaganda, to be as great as certain sectors think we are and the rest of us know isn't true. We've got all this money tied up in rich people who don't need it, and the pandemic has exposed every one of the cracks that caused; take the good path and fix all the problems. What I'm afraid is that the schools in the far future will be teaching some sanitized version of all this that glosses over the truth, or won't teach it at all bc it's as rough as the race stuff in the 60s that doesn't get taught either--except also with an illness the gov totally dropped the ball on. I'm afraid any good Biden et al can do now will be specifically undone before 2050 by people who hate him (also for no good reason). Somewhere in the middle would be, like, you know your elders lived through the pandemic because of how they wheeze when climbing stairs, or have crumpled ears from years of mask wearing, or are shut ins and germaphobes. It'll be interesting clinically (and probably horrifying personally) to see how a whole damaged generation that now have chronic pain and weakness, bad lungs, no taste or smell, weird brain chemistry, and all sorts of developing future issues changes things down the line. Will healthcare improve? Will debt caused by it ever be dealt with or will they just let it bankrupt the whole country? Will the treatment and accomodation of disabled people improve if millions of previously nondisabled people find themselves now needing those same accomodations? Will work at home stick around after all this? Idk if 2050 is far enough to really see how all of it shakes out, but I'm 100% sure this is going to be a whole class in lots of schools, and maybe a whole major in some!
May 18, 2021
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I am Jewish My friend is Moslem We want peace Ramadan ends Eid is celebrated We hug and cry for peace As Shavuot arrives I will chant for peace In the synagogue yard.
May 18, 2021