March 25, 2020

I hope this essay finds you well and safe. I won’t say happy, because that is a difficult state for anyone to attain these days—anyone but the most determined, that is.

I continue to be saddened and alarmed at the number of people who persist in the belief that this pandemic is either not that serious, or worse—that it’s some sort of a trick or hoax perpetrated by members of “the other tribe”.

This is real. This is serious. In fact, it’s real serious. This Covid-19 is so contagious, and it is not airborne. It spreads by contact, as far as they know so far. What could be simpler, really than this: stay home, reduce or avoid contact with other people, in order to stay safe, and in so doing, you are saving lives!

You really, truly are. If you don’t come in contact with someone who has the virus, then you cannot contract it, and you cannot pass it on to someone else.

When a fire is burning in a forest, a common practice is to get ahead of it and remove the foliage in its path that it would use as fuel. Firefighters will set a controlled fire, to deny the raging wildfire more fuel. When the hungry flames find only burned fuel, the fire is on the road to going out.

If you have a fire in your frying pan, you don’t go nuts and toss water on it. You cover the pan, cutting off its oxygen (the fuel needed to sustain the fire). When it finds no more oxygen, it goes out.

If you, my friends, isolate yourselves in your homes, let no one in and no one out…you cannot catch this virus. You can’t! It’s common sense; it’s scientific fact, but it is not rocket science. And if everyone would just do that for a couple of weeks—the virus would have no “fuel” to continue raging on.

You’ve heard of the saying, “they also serve who only stand and wait”? You are doing a tremendous service to your fellow human beings by staying home. When you absolutely have to leave your house, protect yourself and others. Practice social distancing. Wear gloves!

Currently, there is no vaccine for this virus, and no medication that will suddenly “cure you”, no matter what the feeble minded may say. It’s just not there yet. It will be one day, but not yet. Have any of you read up on the last really devastating pandemic, the Spanish Influenza of 1918-1919? Here is a direct quote from the CDC website:

The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919. In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in spring 1918. It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States.

Here is a link to that site: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html

One third of the world’s population at the time infected; millions dead. Don’t let this be our fate.

Even if your state or federal government doesn’t order you to “stay at home”, please, do it anyway. If you have elderly relatives, send them e-mails or texts or hell, even letters. Don’t visit them.

In my county, there are now 3 cases of the virus—and all three are tied to travel. So far, there is no community spread here, and I pray that will not change, although I know if very well might.

David and I continue to practice social distancing, and we’ve asked family not to visit. None of us know how long this danger will exist. But it seems to me, that the more we all do our part, then the sooner it will be over.

Until then, please stay safe.

Love,
Morgan
http://www.morganashbury.com
http://www.bookstrand.com