NOTES, 8 APRIL 2020,
with update
with update
8 April 2020. Greetings dear blog readers as we move into mid-Holy Week and ever more into the blackness of the night of the pandemic.
The devastation of the COVID-19 plague continues on unabated. Today's numbers are staggering and heartbreaking. As hard as it is to look at these numbers regularly, I think it is important to do so because information leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to wisdom, and wisdom leads to understanding. So, here goes.
In the past two days, according to Worldometer, at least 161,724 people fell ill for a total of 1,446,986 COVID-19 cases in the world. This is a 13% rise and right in line with the previous two-day period. In the last two days, 12,742 people in the world died of the disease for a total of 83,090. This is a rise of 19% and an acceleration from the previous two days (17%).
In the United States in the last two days, 63,698 people fell ill for a total of 400,549 cases. This is a rise of 19%, a slight dip from the previous two days (21%). However, deaths in our country are spiking. In the last two days, 3,237 Americans died of the plague. This is a 34% increase, and a 4% rise over the previous two days. In all, 12,857 Americans have died of the virus. The plague is worsening in America.
In South Carolina, 368 people fell ill in the past two days for a total of 2,417. This is an 18% rise, a slight increase over the previous two days (17%). As for deaths, 7 people died in SC of the disease in the last two days for a total of 51. This is a 16% rise, less than the previous two days (30%). In Alabama, there are 356 new cases for a total of 2,197. As for deaths, AL now counts 64, a whopping 42% increase in two days.
While these numbers may not be precise and are almost certainly well under-reported, they do give us a general guide of the progress of the pandemic. It is definitely getting worse in the world and particularly in the U.S. which has by far the most cases in the world although not the most deaths, at least as yet. Italy has that dubious honor. The trends are horrifying.
Meanwhile, we continue our social distancing and at-home isolation which we all know to be the right thing to do. These are hard, there is no doubt about it. It is hard because it is against human nature. Human beings are social animals. We naturally gravitate to other people. We long for social contact with people beyond our own homes, a hand shake, a hug, close eye contact, a friendly face. It is hard not to have these even though we know very well it is in our interest for the time being to do without them. So, I think we have to think of ways we can lessen the loneliness and aloneness and make contact with other people with our modern technology. We need it.
Reports are out that people are coping with the home isolation in various ways. Reuters has an article indicating a rising consumption of chocolate, tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and porn. Companies that deal in such are seeing their stock values rise. However, the biggest gain in stock has been in a company that produces diabetes medicine in anticipation of the long-term effects of this new consumption. Find the article here .
Bishop Mariann Budde has another good sermon from the National Cathedral online I recommend. It is not quite as memorable as her classic homily of 22 March, but it is still helpful in our present state. Find her sermon of April 5, here . It is about 12 minutes long.
May we all find courage and strength in this dark night, and remember we are here for the living of this hour. Peace.
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UPDATE. 11:00 a.m. The Church of England has closed all churches to all people, clergy and laity, in view of the pandemic. There are to be no live-streamed services in any Anglican church in England. This will be most difficult coming now as it does in Holy Week.
Read a report of this in Thinking Anglicans here .
See a video of the Archbishop of Canterbury explaining his decision here .
On March 23, the Prime Minister of the UK ordered all churches closed. The next day, the archbishops of Canterbury and York ordered their clergy to refrain from entering their own churches. On April 7, the London college of bishops agreed to end all live-streaming from the church buildings. Live-streaming may continue from private venues, as home living rooms. It is now a blanket rule in the Church of England that all churches are closed to all people, clergy and laity. This means no live-streaming from the church buildings until further notice.
Given the esteemed position of the Church of England, and the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Anglican Communion, all officials of the provinces of the AC should consider their own policies regarding the closure of the church buildings, even for live-streaming from the churches.
__________________________________
UPDATE. 11:00 a.m. The Church of England has closed all churches to all people, clergy and laity, in view of the pandemic. There are to be no live-streamed services in any Anglican church in England. This will be most difficult coming now as it does in Holy Week.
Read a report of this in Thinking Anglicans here .
See a video of the Archbishop of Canterbury explaining his decision here .
On March 23, the Prime Minister of the UK ordered all churches closed. The next day, the archbishops of Canterbury and York ordered their clergy to refrain from entering their own churches. On April 7, the London college of bishops agreed to end all live-streaming from the church buildings. Live-streaming may continue from private venues, as home living rooms. It is now a blanket rule in the Church of England that all churches are closed to all people, clergy and laity. This means no live-streaming from the church buildings until further notice.
Given the esteemed position of the Church of England, and the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Anglican Communion, all officials of the provinces of the AC should consider their own policies regarding the closure of the church buildings, even for live-streaming from the churches.
