aktillery, I'm so sorry you're going through a really rough time right now. Many of us, while not suffering any physical problems from this virus, are still feeling the pain of loneliness, isolation, and emotional stress, due to worry and fear about its spread. Thankfully, many people are spontaneously doing thoughtful acts for others, such as delivering groceries or doing a chore for someone at higher risk, so they won't have to leave their house and chance any exposure. But on a much larger scale, I got to wondering how far beyond the necessity to help worse hit nations during the Covid19 crisis, will we extend our benevolence. That brought me to remembering the story of the Christmas Truce, during World War One. Unfortunately, it lasted so briefly, before they resumed their orders. But the point is, if soldiers from two of the world's greatest enemy nations were so inspired to call a truce from killing each other, simply by hearing the sound of Christmas Carols being sung in the trenches, couldn't a world wide deadly pandemic be enough, to inspire nations currently warring, to so the same? Did we not learn from the Spanish Flu pandemic, that military conflicts should be taken off the schedule, when a deadly virus is threatening every nation? Could we have evolved enough so that leaders will recognize that wasting their money, time and manpower in continued conflicts at this time, is ludicrous? Will we able to pass down a story of the 'Covid19 Truce' which historical records would say marked the first time in history, that a world wide pandemic ended all warring between nations? Then afterward, seeing they'd managed to exist without fighting for X amount of months, imagine if each conflict was just not resumed. If a tragedy isn't used to do anything more humane, more charitable, and more moral, then we've only accumulated losses, but wasted the opportunity to better ourselves. I'd love to hear of the 'Covid19 Truce' of 2020. Nice dream, isn't it?

Asthma is an effect caused by all sorts of things. Most people have inflammation in their lungs and that inflammation makes their lungs twitchy so some trigger, and that is usually very personal, causes the vasoconstriction that not only keeps you from getting air in but also keeps you from getting air out. Triggers can be allergy inducing particles or just any old particle, cold air (very common) hot air and so on. For many people set it off. You can get Asthma from chemical irritants, perfumes are common causes, or poisons, for me mentholated cigarette smoke is a trigger. Those of us with Asthma are at risk with Covid-19 of course. It is a strange that it is not a disease though that is how it is treated. It is a symptom. I can get sneezing attacks from the hot moist air of a shower. I guess I am lucky it would ease asthma for me. Covid 19 can cause sudden massive lung inflammation (ARDS) in some people and have massive out of control asthma. It is frequently fatal.

We don't have kids or pets to deal with so our situation is easier. We haven't made many adaptations: I change towels and facecloths every day, (used to be twice a week), and I have a supply of cheap faceclothes in the kitchen for drying hands, wiping counters, etc. We are obviously washing hands and cleaning surfaces more often than usual but I haven't set up a disinfection station as such. I do now unpack groceries on the laundry counter (adjacent to but not in the kitchen), rinse the shopping bags there, and hang them outside on the line to dry in the sun. We don't have a freezer, and may have to think about finding a small one and squeezing it into our garage at some point, but where I live, supermarkets are still open and still delivering. We already have a small study, and a bedroom with exercise equipment, so those kinds of needs are already met as well. The guest bedroom is ready and waiting should one of us get sick. There's not much else we can do but wait it out and keep clear of oeople.

As someone who deals with facts on a daily basis in addition to the skill of evaluating the validity of research data (I teach science), the idea that data and facts cannot be objectively verified I find puzzling. As I mentioned, we use facts all the time to make decisions, for example, we check the weather before going somewhere to determine how to dress. Weather predictions are made based on facts, measurements and data. But, since weather is a system that is highly variable (many data points and facts affect the system) there is always going to be some level of uncertainty in your predictions. Meteorologists factor that into their weather reports, and usually give a range of predictions, such as 20% chance of rain. That is not zero, btw, so I always carry a collapsible umbrella in my car. But we don't assume that a meteorologist has some hidden political agenda, nor do we necessarily question the need for weather forecasting, particularly those of us in outdoor professions who depend on reliable weather data to make critical decisions. I have no reason to doubt that the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, one of the most respected and admired research centers in the world, would not be working diligently to present the best and most valid data available. Also, since science thrives on constant questioning and examination, they would not rest until more and more "truth" could be determined. I know science constantly refines ideas, I'm comfortable with evolving advice based on the results of more and more information being investigated and newer data coming in. That's why medical advice evolves over time and what was once standard advice, (like taking vit. E protects against heart disease, for example, which has evolved to it being a minor preventative factor if at all, not trumping genetics, and having no benefit in clinical studies as a treatment, in fact in might be a detriment and is no longer supported by the American Heart Association). I not only have confidence in the public health researchers at the University of Michigan and my alma mater Michigan State, for example, I feel blessed beyond compare that I live in a state where such institutions can exist and thrive. I feel the same way about the Johns Hopkins Center, their web site is a marvel of useful and helpful information. As well as the many professional groups I belong to that share "truths" amongst members so we can develop strategies to meet all kinds of situations arising out of real data coming out of the real world. For example, the spotted lanternfly is similar to this covid-19 virus in that it has the potential to decimate dozens of economic fruit crops. No one is questioning the validity or political agendas of folks reporting on its spread, nor on ideas for mitigation and control. That's the irony to me, I live in a state known for having more colleges than just about any other state, (we are number 9 for number of colleges) and yet folks want to refuse the good advice one can find here for FREE! Folks from all over the world come here to convene with some of the best brains on the planet! When it was just "their loss" I was fine with it. Now, when it is my own close family at risk and myself, not satisfied! I have also noted, that in my rural area, there is a movement to not only flaunt social distancing recommendations and rules, but also other laws regarding social conduct. For example, two weekends ago a gang of three wheelers rode up and down the streets in my neighborhood for quite a while, knowing full well that ORVs are not allowed on public roads. It was totally annoying because we were outside trying to enjoy the beauty and peace of our yard. It's happening on a regular basis now, folks going out and engaging in socially disruptive behavior, I guess either hoping to draw folks into conflicts or hoping no one will come out to stop them from the local neighborhood. My friend's husband is a policeman, and this is totally adding to their stress unnecessarily since they are not only having to police serious crimes, but respond to the health crisis as well. So they do not need to deal with things like folks setting off firecrackers, etc.which are totally avoidable. Regarding the three wheelers, eventually they got bored and moved on, but such things are happening on a regular basis in my neighborhood, gangs of trucks and motorcyclists driving around revving their motors, etc. And I'm not talking about groups gathering for socially distancing parties, which we had up the street from us. That was very clear what was going on as the cars all had "Happy Birthday" balloons decorating them. There are several cases of church communities being ravaged by the virus here in MI and some folks have lost MULTIPLE family members. We stopped going to church before it was cancelled, and we intend to keep on participating virtually. The biggest issue for me is how to continue to support local feeding efforts which our church was heavily involved in as volunteers. I am having to remind myself to regularly donate to the food pantry now online with money instead of food, and also not forget to regularly tithe at church.