Corona Log Entry 3/12/21

Corona Log Entry - Friday, March 12, 2021-    

               It was a cool 56 degrees out this morning, as we headed over to the Walmart Store in Sebring, Fl. We had a 7:15 A.M. appt. for our second covid-19 vaccination. Walmart handled everything professionally. We were in and out of there in 30 minutes. It felt like a graduation day of sorts, a return to the land of the living.

         We stopped back at our hotel for breakfast and then packed up and headed south along Rte. #27 in the central spine of Florida. There are vast orange and lemon groves lining the rural lanes in this part of the state. . Occasionally, you could see the remnants of a herd of cattle, grazing in the fields. This portion of Florida is still pretty empty. I wonder how long that will last?

         Back at our place, in Estero, I experienced mild flu symptoms, as an after effect of the second vaccine. Fever, chills and a headache reminded me not to fool around with this stuff. The after effects passed within 24 hrs.

       The television news programs had been ablaze with Corona statistics. In the United States, we are approaching 555,000 dead, from some 30 million infected cases. The new infection and hospitalization rates are down significantly, all across the country. Three separate vaccines are being pumped into the population’s arms. Mask wearing, hand-washing and social distancing were helping to mitigate the spread of the viral monster. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine will prove a game changer. It has no particular storage necessities and only requires one dose to protect someone.

        The State of Florida was also bringing in the CVS, Walgreen’s and Walmart stores to help with mass administration of  vaccinations. There is still difficulty, in securing a vaccination appt, using the Publix on line procedures. Frustration is building. It is a race now between the virus and the vaccinated.

       In Europe, several countries temporarily halted the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, due to concern over blood clots in the liver of some recipients. I think they will work this out quickly. Several European Countries have placed their chips on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

        In the U.S, the Biden Administration is well on their way to keeping their  promise of one hundred million vaccinatioins delivered and inoculated during the first 100 days of his administration. More recently, Joe Biden promised that by May 1st, all adults in the U.S would be eligible to start receiving the vaccine. About 10 % of the American population has already been fully vaccinated. Canada is trailing behind us. That means the U.S.- Canadian Border will probably remain closed again this summer.

       The counter of course, to all of the good news, is the rise of Covid-19  cases, generated by the three variants of the virus, from the UK. Brazil and South Africa. There is uncertainty as to whether our existing vaccines will protect people from the mutations to the virus. It may even require a third shot to meet the new dangers.

        There is a feeling of hope in the land that the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. People, who have gotten both of their shots, feel liberated enough to see their families again and begin to interact socially. Inside dining is way up at restaurants and small businesses are poised to start hiring back personnel. In general, people feel lighter in their souls, after a year of living under the Corona Cloud. The baseball stadia are filling up again in some states. Golf matches attract visitors. Texas, and a few southern states have declared themselves “open for business,” with no mask wearing requirements.
The CDC says “not so fast.” They know how far we have come in the last year and don’t want to risk sliding backwards due to mixing with people too early. Of course, that is like closing the barn door after the horses have fled. Massive crowds of college kids are even now congregating on Florida, Texas and California beaches, celebrating their traditional “Spring Break.” Like most youths of their age, they think themselves immortal. Few are wearing masks and keeping social distancing in play. We may indeed yet see another “spike” in infections” after the end of March.
In Washington, the battle royale was conducted over the $1.9-Trillion-dollar relief bill. It got through the House and Senate, without a single Republican vote. In Florida, Senator Scott urged everyone to “send back the stimulus money.” I thought the current Florida Governor was going to have a stroke. Every locality and school district will receive money to begin renovations or catch up on their Coivd-19 related expenses. Families earning under $150,000 will receive $1,400 per earner, with more money allocated for children. It should touch off a considerable spending spree across the land. The only unanswered question is still “How are we going to pay all of this back?” No one has an answer for the plaintive inquiry.

The financial markets plod effortlessly along. The occasional blip of a downturn is met with an identical rise in the next few days. I don’t know whether this unconscious behavior is good or bad. Gasoline prices have risen $.60 per gallon in the last few weeks. The Saudis and other suppliers are cutting production to drive demand and costs up. We have to convert to electric cars in the next decade, to shut these thieves down.

And for us, we hit the gym this morning, had coffee on the Club House Lanai and then stopped at the nearby New York Bagel outlet for egg and cheese bagels and good coffee. It is sunny, eighty degrees out and gorgeous. We take every day, one day at a time.

                                                                          -30-
                                                                    (958 words)
                                                                Joseph Xavier Martin