Pandemic Graffiti Art

Yesterday Anthony Fauci, head of the National  Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Health, testified before a House hearing  that the US is failing on Coronavirus Testing. "The idea of anybody getting it easily the way people in other countries are doing it, we're not set up for that. Do I think we should be? Yes. But we're not"

Last night Trump made a speech, read from the teleprompter in a monotone, announcing that most travel from Europe (except Britain) is  being suspended effective tomorrow (Friday). He can't taunt or bully Covid-19 with funny names or fire it, and he has put incompetent people in crucial positions that matter. Whether he believes in science or not, the virus has now been declared a pandemic and we are unprepared to combat it. He can't even deliver a reassuring or even coherent speech to the nation. He sounded like a zombie.

After two days in Barcelona, Dana and Jim are cutting short their stay by a week and scheduled on a flight to London tomorrow and back to SFO on Saturday. They aren't happy about it, and now that they are there it is hard to see how rushing back is going to help anything. They are worried that the longer they wait, the more likely it is that they will be abandoned somewhere by the airlines or refused entry back into the US. And what awaits them when they do get back? Will they be  quarantined, unable to go to work, or for that matter visit us? Nobody seems to know.

The Governor of California held a press conference this morning. In  contrast with Trump's zombie-like and uninformative performance, he outlined guidelines and protocols being established in California to try to stop or slow down the progression of new cases. 
Social distancing and stopping gatherings of more than 250 people, and speeding up acquisition and processing test kits are priorities. Most colleges and universities are conducting classes remotely. Schools are being closed on a case by case basis since closing a school places hardships on children and their working parents. Elbow bumps are no longer an acceptable substitute for shaking hands or hugging because people should be staying 6-10 feet away from each other. Jazz hands, bowing or shoe touches are being recommended. Paranoia and proper etiquette may be what save us in the long run....

It's all exhausting...I'm contemplating staying home and surviving on lettuce from the garden and whatever we can rustle up from the cupboard....beans and tuna and spaghetti sauce from jars.