COVID-19
Things are happening fast. So fast, in fact, what seemed like an ok decision on Sunday morning seemed very ill advised by evening. I’d been planning to take a business trip to Washington D.C. for weeks. On Saturday evening I texted the group and asked if they were rethinking our plan. After an hour or so of consideration they decided to go ahead. My flight was at 4:50 pm Sunday March 15, 2020.
Here’s what the outbreak looked like at Saturday at 3pm March 14, 2020.
President Trump has a negative COVID-19 test
NYC announced it’s 1st death – an 82 year old woman
Total U.S. Death Toll – 55
Total new U.S. cases in 24-hours – 50
Total U.S. cases – 2395
By Sunday at noon we were looking at these numbers.
President suspended student loan interest
West Virginia was the lone holdout with no cases reported
Total U.S. Death Toll – 60
Total new U.S. cases in 24- hours -140
Total U.S. Cases – 3083
It seemed ok to go. I was in Alabama and I had spent most of the past three weeks in the house working on a proposal. I’d only been out a couple times a week, to get my hair done or play with the grands.
So off I go to Huntsville International Airport. I’m not sure they fly directly to any foreign destination but if it makes us feel better then I’m ok with it. The plane wasn’t as crowded as usual but not so empty that I counted the number of passengers. In First Class there was a family of 4 in front of me and a couple of other passengers behind me. The flight attendant and three of the four in the family were named Taylor too. I wiped down everything with an anti-bacterial wipe. ( I always do that)
In Chicago there were plenty of people waiting for flights, several people were wearing masks and I was having second thoughts. They came as I was telling my intrepid husband that he should probably skip a long planned trip to Thailand. His rationale, the medical care there is better and the U.S. is not getting ahead of the virus. (Spoiler alert- He didn’t go). I realized then that if I thought he was selfish for going off to Thailand, I was too for going to my business meeting. It would mean staying away from my grandchildren when I got home and Miyuki wanted to spend the night. I arrived incident free and checked into the hotel in DC.
I had the sense that anyone could have the virus, I could have the virus.
Monday, March 16, 2020
The hotel still had breakfast but the server said it would be the last day, not enough guests. I walked to the office and there were people on the street and people in the office. Missed the news all day and did my meeting prep as planned.
By Monday at 6pm here are the numbers.
Canada closes its borders to everyone but U.S. Citizens
Governors of New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey say no to gatherings of more than 50 people. Movie theaters, gyms, bars and casinos to close. Restaurants limited to take out and delivery.
Total U.S. death toll – 77
Total new U.S. cases in 24 hours – 700
Total U.S. Cases – 4184
I definitely made a mistake. Tuesday’s meeting still a go. Hotel , no people and restaurant and Starbucks shutdown.
Tuesday, the Starbucks next to the office is open for carry-out but the tables are put away. Only two customers in the store. At the office I do some work, the boss wants me to stick around for some planning but the noon strategy session is cancelled. It’s too late to fly home tonight. I change my flight to the morning and head back to the hotel.
By Tuesday March 17, 20120 at 6pm here’s the numbers.
New York will stop collecting medical and student dept during the crisis.
Shelter in place for 7 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Total U.S. Death Toll – 99
Total New U.S. Cases in 24 hours – 1325
Total U.S. Cases – 6,000
I got up this morning and headed out to the Reagan International Airport. The hotel was empty, the streets were empty, the airport nearly empty. What had been light crowds just a few days ago was now a ghost town. The United Club lounge offered packaged muffins and juices.
I boarded a 150 passenger plane with 9 others.
In Chicago at O’Hare International Airport it was eerie. Like a small town airport when your plane arrives late.
The 50 passenger plane had 3 passengers, easier to maintain social distancing.
Tonight at 6pm
37 states have cancelled school
U.S. Navy medical ship underway to New York
Total U.S. Death Toll – 128
Total new cases in the U.S. in 24 hours – 2858
Total U.S. cases -8100
These numbers come from a couple of sources so the math doesn’t work. But that’s not the point. The point is that this is growing. And yes some of those numbers are because we tested more but still there are plenty of people who were sick at home and never confirmed.
So from Saturday afternoon until I got home today the number of confirmed cases have at least tripled. Things are changing fast.
From now on, I’m assuming everyone is a carrier including myself. I’m staying inside, FaceTiming my friends, and eating the food I have in my house. I won’t be hugging my grands for a while.
Here are the shots of Chicago O’Hare and the planes. Things are changing fast and don’t look like they’ll get back to normal anytime soon.