NOTES, 28 MARCH 2020

Life in the time of plague goes on. Greetings to you, dear blog reader. Here's a wish that you, your family and friends are well and safe. Mine are, at least so far.

Numbers of the disease continue to skyrocket with no sign of slowing down. As of this morning, there are at least 614,884 cases of COVID-19 in the world with 28,687 dead. The most deadly outbreak has been in Italy. The highest number of cases of infections is the United States, now with at least 104,837 cases and 1,704 deaths. South Carolina is reporting 539 cases and 13 deaths while Alabama is listing 639 cases and 3 deaths. In SC, Charleston County leads the list with 92 cases. To give some perspective of explosive growth, On March 1, the world counted 100,000 cases. That means in four weeks, the world has seen a six times growth rate, 100,000 to 614,884. There is no indication of slowing down although there are places that seem to be getting the spread under control, as South Korea.

The most chilling report on yesterday came from a study at the University of Washington that predicted 80,000 deaths in the U.S. by July unless drastic measures are taken soon to stop the spread of the virus. Find a report of that study here . If there have been 1,704 deaths so far, well, you can do the math. This is truly frightening. Let us pray to God this prediction does not come to pass.

Here in Alabama, the governor has finally ordered closure of all "non-essential" businesses in the state. Schools, colleges, beaches, restaurants, bars and the like had already been closed. It is interesting to see what the governor considered "essential," that is, the ones that could stay open. She declared essential to be: grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, gun stores, and state liquor stores. Yes, in Alabama, guns, ammunition, and liquor are essential, at least according to our governor.

What to do with your $1,200 windfall? As churches remain shut down, consider giving at least a part to your local church. It is probably suffering a decline in revenue too and is struggling to meet its budget. 

Meanwhile, the rest of us living in this dark hour are trying to get by the best way we can. As for me, I am spending a lot of time in my garden. I am tending it as never before. The garden needs it and I need it. My family and I are doing OK, and I hope the same for you. Being quarantined as this makes one realize what is important and what is unimportant in life. Perhaps this is the benefit of this dark hour. I miss church, as I imagine you do too. I will not take it for granted again. Peace.

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Creepy video of the day. Historically rats are associated with plague. The Black Death of the Fourteenth Century was spread by fleas on rats. Well, rats are popping up in this plague, but in a different way. On Bourbon Street, rats have "gone crazy" from the effects of closures. If you are squeamish about rodents do not watch this video .