Day 79

Friday May 29, 2020 Today was my last day of school with student contact. We had a virtual 5th grade graduation and although it was distant and different it was touching nonetheless,  There were some tears and the kids were sensitive as they listened to their teachers recall stories of years gone by.
Our music teacher, Sarah, talked about how they were her first kindergarten at Montview and consequently her first graduating class. There classroom teachers got teary-eyed and Saladin even wrote a rap song and I a  poem talking about the things kids love about school. 
Today was also my sister Lisa's birthday. Lisa is a first grade teacher in Levittown Public Schools and retiring this year after 30+ years of teaching. What a way to go out! Happy Birthday Lee. Love you. Today in Denver many restaurants were open at a limited capacity and folks were dining out for the first time in over two months. As far as the virus is concerned the numbers are hard to gauge since the numbers are not always reported on time (I guess). For example, the last two days there were over 100,000 new cases and thousands of deaths and today (according to https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#page-top) the new case total worldwide is 3,532 with 381 deaths.  This could be possible, but unlikely since the new cases and death totals were trending upward especially considering what is going on in Brazil right now. However, some states, previously with high infection rates and death counts opening up and loosening of restrictions are on the way.  For NYC, which saw hundreds per day die in April, the idea of opening is a reality with death totals around a dozen in recent days. In Los Angeles and Washington DC the restrictions will loosen as the summer moths approach. In Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio and Illinois reopening in phases are underway with salons and restaurants the first to welcome customers on a limited capacity and restrictions in place.
In a recent NY times article states, "When experts recommend wearing masks, staying at least six feet away from others, washing your hands frequently and avoiding crowded spaces, what they’re really saying is: Try to minimize the amount of virus you encounter.A few viral particles cannot make you sick — the immune system would vanquish the intruders before they could." Which begs the question, how much of the virus is enough to make one sick? The answer is not a simple one.  Many factors are in play including the carriers ability to transmit the virus and the receiver, more specifically the shape of their nostrils, amount of nose hairs, mucus totals and the cellular receptors in the airway.  All of these are factors in how much of the virus it takes to infect a person.   My friend Jim brought up a good point to me today.  We have no problem wearing seat belts, helmets and life preservers in order to protect ourselves in the situations they are called for, but some folks are finding it a nuisance or an infringement on the rights to wear a mask in public. Keep in mind there are other people to consider when you where a mask. Yes, it may be your choice not to protect yourself, but is it that difficult to help protect others.  Others who may be fearful.  Let us band together to help one another on this journey instead of taking a narcissistic stand. Protecting each other just may be the key to defeating this virus sooner than later.