Viruses Present & Past

Friday, March 27, 2020

Today will be another of tree-trimming. After deciding to ride my horse on this property, I looked more closely at the trees. Even those already trimmed had too-low limbs. I got myself outside with a chainsaw and trimmed higher. All went more slowly than anticipated, and so, I must go to it again.

If this were any time other than this Coronavirus stretch, I’d be less among my property’s trees. This trimming work has required dedication and lots of effort but has beat staying inside for hours. I suppose if we were in deeper winter, there would be fewer opportunities for adequate physical activity.

The battle beginning to rage among leadership is whether to put the nation back to work soon, or to promote longer periods of self-isolation and social distancing. We understand too little about this virus, but have learned that it’s serious and often can result in death.

It’s troubling, that people might be forced soon to return to populated workplaces to renew national productivity, but that might happen. This virus supposedly tapers off as warmer weather arrives and it’s almost summertime.

Recently, the “New Yorker” offered a link to one of its classic articles, “Crisis in the Hot Zone”. It’s about viruses and focuses on Ebola. Written in the 1990s by a very-knowledgeable Richard Preston, it’s informative, readable, and teaches. I’m passing it along:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1992/10/26/crisis-in-the-hot-zone?mbid=&source=EDT_NYR_EDIT_NEWSLETTER_0_imagenewsletter_Classics_ZZ&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Classics_Daily_032520&utm_medium=email&bxid=5be9d7b63f92a40469e7251c&cndid=48830477&utm_term=TNY_Classics

Dear Friends: What do you think about returning to work, or continuing to distance? Diana