It’s hard to believe that it has been only three weeks since I started giving weekly updates on my blog on how I’m doing, and how my city (New York City) is doing with the coronavirus pandemic. So much has changed in that time, and so much will likely continue to change. Today’s coronavirus update post will focus on what has changed with me and with my city since last week’s update.
Everyone in my family is still healthy. Sure, some of us struggle with a little bit with allergies, but many people struggle with allergies this time of year. None of us are showing symptoms of the coronavirus, though, so we all count our blessings. While it has been quite jarring to see how just about every aspect of life, from how I interact with people to how I do my professional work, has changed, I remain glad that I am healthy. I do need to make sure to take breaks for the sake of my own mental health though, because both my professional work and my volunteer work is at times very focused on the coronavirus.
With the extra free time available to me during the pandemic, I’m not sure if I have gained any new skills, but I helped build a new website! Long story made short, an organization I volunteer for (Gray Panthers, who are focused on anti-ageism work) partnered with another organization to help build a resource website for seniors in New York City during the coronavirus crisis (which you can find here). I was one of the Gray Panthers who helped put together the website.
The news in New York is very much a mixed bag. Here’s the good, the maybe good, and the bad:
- One piece of news is that it appears that hospitalizations for the coronavirus are flat. This is good news because it means hospitalizations are no longer on a sharp rise. At the same time, I’ve heard rumors that the numbers might be misleading because the threshold for taking COVID-19 patients to the hospital is much higher now than it was even days ago. Please note that this is only a rumor I’ve heard, so do not promote this rumor unless you have a reputable source backing you up.
- Another piece of news is that it appears most people are taking the social distancing, the wearing of masks, and the suggestions to stay at home as much as possible seriously. Hopefully, people will continue taking all of this seriously. A few people don’t take this seriously, but at least where I am, those people seem to very much be in the minority. Also, since I have readers who might be celebrating Passover now or Easter over the weekend, let me say this: just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean that we should be relaxing on the social distancing.
- In grim news, as of today (April 9th), New York State has over 7,000 deaths confirmed from the coronavirus. To put this into context, nearly 3,000 people died on 9/11…total (spread across multiple states). I am not saying this to lessen the significance of 9/11, but to instead show the magnitude of the crisis where I am. This number is likely to significantly increase in coming days, as New York had a record number of deaths from the coronavirus confirmed today.
So, that’s pretty much it for my update and my city’s update. How are you doing during this coronavirus, and how is your little corner of the world doing?
Blind Injustice 
I’m so glad you and your family continue to be safe Brendan. I love your Senior Resources site! I can only imagine how many people that’s going to help. I hope next week is better for NYC. Thanks for keeping us posted.
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No problem. I think that it’s important to keep people posted on what’s going on in NYC, given that we’ve been really the epicenter of the whole virus. There are some positive signs, but I really hope the daily death toll starts to decrease.
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I’m so glad that you and the fam are all doing okay, Brendan.
I was also skeptical when I heard that the number of hospitalizations was now flat, thinking that perhaps there were no available beds, or some were waiting as long as possible before going to the hospital. Frankly, I don’t believe anything that I hear anymore, as we have been lied to so much.
I am doing alright … losing much of my sanity, but whatever. I’m more concerned at the moment that our country will remain under the dictatorship of an evil moron for the foreseeable future, as he uses this crisis to his political advantage, and concerned whether there will be an election in November, and how fair it will be. So, I worry late into the night about these things, but physically I am well and so glad you are too.
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Yep. We all have different occupations, but are figuring out how to work from home together.
I’m skeptical about hospitalizations being flat as well. I’ve heard the rumor I mentioned on my post tonight, and I also heard the rumor that EMTs are in some cases not taking COVID patients that are not likely to survive to begin with. Some of this sounds ridiculous, but honestly the whole situation is ridiculous in its own way to begin with, so it’s difficult to separate fact from fiction there.
I definitely understand your concerns and I share many of those same concerns. I remain hopeful that this country’s tradition of having free elections even during the worst of times, such as the Civil War in 1864, the Great Depression of the 30s, and World War II, will win out (albeit through unorthodox means of mail-ins and electronic balloting if need be). Hopefully, that hope is not in vain (and I know I sound repetitive).
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Some of it may sound ridiculous, but … in this, the era of Trump, not much is outside the realm of possibility. I, too, have heard that some decisions to hospitalize and use precious resources may be based on the age & physical condition of the patient, and not only in New York. Rumours abound, but … I think there may be an element of truth somewhere in there. Think how many times in the past few years we have seen things done and said … “that would have been unthinkable just 3 years ago”?
I am hoping and hopeful too, but … it seems as if everyone is so afraid, so wrapped up in the immediate concerns of the virus itself, unemployment, money, toilet paper, and such that nobody cares about what Trump is doing while we’re focused on all this, or the election. Things that would have been headline news a few short months ago — and should still be — are now relegated to a snippet on page 26, if that, and nobody seems to care. I’m afraid it’s going to be hard to rally the masses to care about even voting, and I wonder if that’s what Trump is banking on. Sigh.
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Yeah, I feel the same way. There are lots of things that would’ve been unthinkable before that are happening now, not just with Trump, but with the coronavirus. If there are rumors about rationing of resources and hospitalizations based on age and physical condition in New York City (where the hospital system is relatively robust), I shudder to think what the situation might be like in places where the hospital system is not robust at all.
As far as I’m concerned, Trump cares about Trump and Trump cares about winning. The problem is that there are some means of trying to win that are allowable in the business world but not allowable in government. Government has more rules than being the head of your own company. After over three years in office, I don’t think he has grasped that.
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No, not only has Trump failed to grasp that concept, but he has succeeded in bypassing the rules that ought to apply to him and his administration, and the courts aren’t stopping him. Sigh. I wonder what this nation will look like in another decade?
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Thanks for the update, news is grim but people need to stay informed. Thanks, hope you and yours continue in good health.
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You’re welcome. It is grim news, but people do need to know what’s going on in New York.
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Hope you continue to stay well, heartbroken for the country but especially NYC.
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Thanks. I’m heartbroken too.
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Thank you for the updates. We talk several time a week with theatre folks and have their personal take but they are all staying-home completely so not getting an overview except for the news. New program sounds amazing.
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No problem. I’m glad that the theatre folk friends are staying at home…that’s the wise thing to do right now. I hope everyone is able to make it out okay economically and otherwise.
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