March 12, 2020: Coronavirus, What I've Heard and What I Actually Do

Hearing our aunt's voice in my head, I was trying to go to Costco today. 

Thought I'd *casually* stock up on supplies as if we'd be living exclusively at our house for the next month or so.

Only, everyone else had that same *casual* idea. At least at the Signal Hill Costco. 

The parking lot was as packed and then some, as if it was Christmas.  Waiting through a Christmas-time Costco parking lot is a lot like waiting on a Disneyland ride --- mind-numbing, painfully slow, and quickly stricken from memory.

I didn't even bother trying to find parking, which really really upset my son.

I...will try tomorrow, hopefully.

Last night was chock full of information about who has coronavirus.  It started when I read in the mid-afternoon that an Israeli soccer fan had made a trip to the city of Madrid, Spain to watch what is known as el clasico, a match between the Spanish league giants Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.  He said "he didn't regret his trip" despite getting the coronoavirus there.  Then I read that a player from the Italian soccer league giants, Juventus, tested positive.  And then at around 7:00 PM after *a trip to good ole Victoria Park in Carson*, I was reading that the all-star center for the Utah Jazz Rudy Gobert had tested positive for coronavirus, which prompted the NBA to promptly "suspend" its season. Then not more than 10 minutes later, I'm reading that Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have tested positive and have quarantined themselves.

Bonkers bonkers bonkers.

How Serious Is This?

According to this "medical detective", (whom I don't know of but some smart people approved of him so):

• What's happening now is "just beginning"
• Says getting rid of it will take quite a while --- 3 months prognosis
• 10 - 15 times worse than the flu
• Expect 480,000 deaths in 3-7 months

Kind of a contrast to how the Mayor of the City of Compton (not a medical expert) posted an infographic telling us kind of to calm down, by saying "we don't need to hoard supplies."

This infographic was before the blitz of bad news about who had coronavirus yesterday, including the cancellation of the NBA season. Today, she ended up canceling an event.

The only thing that's safe to say is that I've never been through anything like this in my life.

In spite of all the current warnings of staying home, I've been living each day off somewhat normally. 

I'm more aware and weary of traveling to public spaces, though with one exception.

*I said I went to Victoria Park in Carson.  I've also been to Wilson Park in Torrance quite a few times AND played on each of the playgrounds WITH the awareness of coronavirus.  I did administer some hand sanitizer to the yutes after our trip to Wilson Park, but kind of forgot at Victoria Park. 

We and many other people still go to public parks, but even that seemingly innocuous simple privilege might soon become a no no (which I've heard from no one, but think is a possibility given that it is a public venue and has the potential for creating a large public gathering).