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วันอาทิตย์ที่ 29 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2563

COVID-19: Coping in Purgatory

Worldometer:


On the change of deaths over the past 24 hours:

DAY     China   Italy   USA   Spain   Germany   S. Korea  WORLD

Mar 18        11  475       41      105             2     
        19         8  427       21      165            15 
        20         3  627       18      213            15
        21         7  793       32      285            15
        22         6  651       98      375              9               6
        23         9  601       85      435            24               7        1631
        24         7  743     100      489            33               9        1983
        25         4  683     129      454            47               6        1987
        26         6  712       73      498            33               5        1801
        27         5  919     182      569            71               8        2782
        28         3  889     241      674            52               5        2609
        29         5  756     169      624            49               8        2706

Summary:
  • The media continue to mostly hype this pandemic, with few positives, for the data show stabilization of deaths in the above primary countries and World:
    • China and South Korea haven't hit double digits in new deaths for a week and more.
    • USA is at a three-day low in new deaths.
    • World has had a three-day period of 2782, 2609 and 2706 new deaths.  The total deaths stand at 33,562.  However, keep in mind that the previous pandemic, H1N1 virus of 2008-2013, saw up to 575,400 deaths.
    • Italy, Spain and Germany declined in new deaths.
  • Not shown above, but Japan had 173 new cases, with two new deaths, so something is re-happening there.
  • India only had 37 new cases with 3 new deaths.  However, their deaths per million population rate is only at 0.02.  China is at 2 D/MP, South Korea 3 D/MP and USA 4 D/MP, while Italy is at 178 D/MP and Spain 141 D/MP.
  • More than anything else, this probably reflects more people now getting tested, but the U.S. had 12,296 new cases, Spain 5,564, Italy 5217, Germany 2,964, Iran 2901, France 2599, UK 2433, Turkey 1815, and Belgium 1815.
  • China had only 45 new cases and South Korea 105.
One significant piece of good news:  the FDA just approved a coronavirus test that can give results in minutes...from the time you take it!  Abbot Labs (watch their stock value zoom up) will ship 50,000 units/day beginning this week.  It is highly portable, the size of a toaster, weighing less than seven pounds.  This is that game changer we have long been awaiting.  Today, the U.S. has done fewer than 200 tests per 100,000 (630,000 total tests).  South Korea is at 700/100,000.  These Abbot units should produce 5 million tests in April.  

I continue to be hopeful that an international apex is reasonably close at hand.  But will there be a second wave?  Remember, there were three waves in the most recent 2008-2009 H1N1 pandemic, the third in 2013.  Thus the continued urgency of a vaccine to prevent this infection, which is six months to a year or more away.  The 1918-19 Spanish Flu (H1N1 virus) also had three waves.

How am I coping?  While I sympathize with what is happening all around me, my life in Purgatory will continue by optimizing my lifestyle, especially as my posting today indicated we might be close to turning the corner in combating this coronavirus.  You know how well-off I am when I tell you that my biggest problem is a minor cut I have on the tip of my right index finger.

Maybe I've never had this affliction before, but this tip practically runs my life, from operating my computer mouse to turning on the remote control to dental flossing to wiping myself after #2 to.....so many other needs.  The problem, too, is that I hit or jam it accidentally all the time, and the cut re-opens.  Four days now, and I still need to be super careful.

First of all, I know I'm not in any kind of religious Purgatory, for this is a literary device I have been amusing myself with since I first moved into my senior's community.  Add on the more than nine months I've been in a high state of euphoria, enjoying life to the max.  My intention is to continue this lifestyle under even these quarantined conditions.

For example, on Monday, my neighbor John and I went golfing at Ko Olina, which was scheduled to close on Tuesday.  Cost $65 each with cart on a course which the card said was #1 on Oahu.  We actually counted our score, but will keep them confidential for fear of embarrassment. 




The course itself was quite challenging.  We played from the white tees, and in preparation of the now cancelled Lotte LPGA tournament, we could compare our tee off position to the women pros because their tee-off spots were left with red markers to instill awe.  Imagine the usual blue championship tees, maybe even further back.

I looked forward to a hot dog and beer after the 9th hole.  However, only soft drinks were being sold.  There was no drinking water on the entire course.  You had to pay an exorbitant amount to buy a bottle.  Good thing I brought my own and also an apple.

It was a windy but beautiful day.  Across the street was Aulani, the Disney hotel where the top 40 finalists from American Idol earlier had been taped.  You'll see them on ABC Sunday (tonight) and Monday night.

The final hole:


Returned by 4:30PM, the deadline announced by Mayor Kirk Caldwell.  I knew him when he was working for Senator Inouye and I was doing the same for Senator Matsunaga.  Can't believe that was 40 years ago.

I had a dilemma for Tuesday, as I had a doctor's appointment.  While a convincing argument can be made that cutting toenails is elective and not worthy of breaching local rules, I went anyway, for I had a couple things I also had to do.  On the way home I stopped by a supermarket to purchase some meal enhancement items.

So for me this was a food shortage emergency to improve the meals provided by 15C.  I'm beginning to feel like a pig on a farm, and probably gaining weight.  My enhancements have necessarily become minimal, for I'm not sure when I can next do this.  As for example, for lasagna, I first fried some Japanese wagyu fat, cut the pasta into pieces, added some corn, onions and mushrooms, topping it off with basil from my herb garden.  The sea asparagus added to the salad.


On occasion I check the don't deliver box.  Here, soba and sashimi with ikura (salmon eggs) added to the sauce:


Then, artichoke and red caviar:


Most enhancements are minimal, such as adding to corned beef hash some portuguese sausage and onions.


One advantage of dining on my lanai is that you sometimes see rainbows:


Here only added sashimi to the supplied curry/rice and salad:


A new option was presented yesterday.  We can now use SHIPT to deliver a bag worth at least $35 from supermarkets, with a monthly membership of $14 (or $99/year).  Also, from Foodland and Safeway.  The delivery cost, though, is steep.  Then again, my face shield is coming, and nothing stops a resident from just driving to these stores.

About what to do in our confines, there is a plethora of exercise classes, activities theater showings and more.


I went to see Fantastic Fungi.  Rotten Tomatoes reviewers gave it a 100% rating, and audiences, 94%.  Wow!  It was that good.

Did you know that fungi (plural of fungus):
  • have it's own kingdom, separate from plants and animals
  • includes molds, yeasts, truffles and mushrooms
  • don't photosynthesize
  • are responsible for decomposing the ecology
  • used in antibiotics, like penicillin
This film was released last year before COVID-19.  One can't help but notice that a coronavirus molecule looks like a spherical field of mushrooms.  Various fungi have shown promise for treating sleeping sickness, cancer, and pests.  Coronavirus?

Fungi are indeed fantastic, for:
But about me coping in Purgatory, frankly, being an intrinsic hermit, I groove with this solitude.  TV-watching is a pleasure.  I replaced my run-down Roku with a high definition version, but it took me a couple of hours to re-program.  So now I'm connected to Prime Amazon, Netflix and RedStop in both rooms.  There is something satisfying in contemplating that this blog site is perhaps one month away to conclusion...unless the Pandemic continues.  Further, I have my three aquaria and plants.  Did you know that the 3-leaf clover (haven't found a 4-leafer in garden) plant has yellow flowers?


Add my view of downtown Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean.  Yes, I'm coping well in Purgatory.  A final thought on this Sunday:


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