Covid-19 Pandemic - Trans-Am Five Interrupted
Originally written on April 8, 2020 and updated on August 17, 2020
"...look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." - Fred Rogers
The culprit, of the world wide crisis, with which we all are dealing.
Perhaps some were following this situation from the beginning but for most of us, the Covid-19 Pandemic seemed to come out of nowhere. Many felt that such things usually only happen in far-off places that aren't as technologically advanced as we tend to think we are here in the good old USA. It was easy to ignore what was happening in China and to think it would never get here. Then we watched as other countries were affected, Iran, Italy, and Spain were seemingly overrun overnight. Health care systems became overwhelmed, causing medical staff to choose who would live and who would not. It was unheard of during our time. Then, the same staff who were taking care of sick patients were becoming infected and dying themselves!
Back here in Pennsylvania, on or about March 10, 2020, there were 6 known cases of Covid-19. A half dozen people, out of 13 million citizens! Surely this was a media driven hoax, as some claimed. Then, as each day passed, the numbers increased, sometimes doubling in a matter of days. The phrase exponential growth of the epidemic was being bandied about. People started dying from complications due to the virus. Our Governor issued Stay-at-Home orders, at first only to some of the larger counties where the virus seemed to be spreading most rapidly. By early April, the epidemic had spread to all 67 counties in the state, some of which are very rural and well off the beaten pathways and all were now under the Governor's orders.
Life as we knew it came to a screeching halt. Only life-sustaining businesses were allowed to continue operations. Schools were closed. The stores that were open had curtailed their hours. Their shelves, normally packed with toilet paper, other paper products, cleaning supplies, and other essential items were now barren. Profiteers began hoarding products, jacking up the prices, and trying to benefit from the misfortune of others. But those were not the only products that disappeared. After watching the 6 episode series about the Branch Davidian-FBI Standoff (Waco, Texas) in 1993, it was impossible to find a copy of books written by either David Thibodeau (survivor) or Gary Noesner (FBI Negotiator). People were going out, en masse, to buy guns and ammunition. At times, it was eerily quiet outside. At other times, the few motor vehicles on the road were traveling at high rates of speed, intentionally running stop signs and callously ignoring other rules of the road. Churches closed, only being permitted to stream or otherwise broadcast their religious services, if they had that capability. Thankfully, technology kept many from feelings of being totally isolated. It was bizarre. Seemingly, we were being unwittingly cast as extras in a science fiction movie.
Personal Protective Medical Equipment became impossible to acquire, further stressing hospitals and putting health care providers at greater risk. For nearly a week, the State Department of Health made it impossible to have dental work done, even if one had a raging toothache. It seems the medical professions are set up well to control bloodborne disease transmission but airborne disease transmission is another manner entirely. Fortunately, the initial directives were relaxed a bit but most dentists are among the unemployed, something that was unimaginable before the outbreak. As someone who is in a line of work that is deemed essential, I continued commuting to work and witnessed the ghost town that our communities became. Where heavy traffic and congestion had been the norm, one could now roll a bowling ball down a main street and never touch anything! It was surreal.
There are also a lot of good things happening and many good people who have taken an initiative to make masks, cook and deliver food, volunteer at hospitals, and to work longer hours at essential and life-sustaining organizations. Events like this bring out the best and the worst in people. Hopefully, there will be more good than bad, when it is all said and done.
Only time will tell how this will all turn out. Our trip, planned for September, seems impossible to predict right now. Some say this epidemic will begin to peak and then we'll be on the downside of the hopefully flattened bell curve. But today (4/8/20), the outlook is grim. The number of cases in Pennsylvania went up by over 1700 and approximately 80 more people died. Here, and in other areas around the country, we do not seem to have yet reached the apex of this epidemic.
But Spring has come anyway to our region. Seemingly oblivious to all of the disease and dying, mother nature is putting on a good show of rebirth and renewal. Riding the bike has been a healthy diversion for many and a way to experience the change of seasons that will hopefully signal a change of fortune for all of us. For now, I'll continue ride. But, I will be careful and will try to stick to residential streets, where there are fewer motor vehicles with which to contend. I don't want to be part of the problem. The rail trails around here have too many users, making it very difficult to maintain appropriate social distances. I will be sticking to the neighborhood streets and other backroads while continuously evaluating the situation and making adjustments to my routines as circumstances dictate and as time moves forward.
This will definitely be a Spring to remember or to forget, if we can.
Update- August 17, 2020 - In June, I had decided to move forward with doing this tour. The Covid-19 infection rates were easing, businesses were opening and it seemed as though by September, the tour would be possible. However, July brought a tremendous spike in the curve, instead of the flattening that had been occurring. States were virus rates had been low were seeing some of the largest and more concerning increases. Kansas was advising travelers from several other states to self-quarantine for two weeks upon entering. Group members come from 3 different states, all of which are on the list! At least one person in our group reported that his employer would require him to quarantine for 2 weeks before returning to work. Prospects for completing the trip this year were suddenly looking pretty bleak. We had a 2nd virtual meeting on August 16, 2020. At that time we will decided to postpone our tour until the Spring of 2021.
A local sit down restaurant, limited to take out service, uses a little levity during this serious time.
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