It's Gotten Closer

Read the news bulletin that coronavirus had arrived in our county today.  Paramedics took an 82 year old woman to the hospital.  Unfortunately for the medics they didn't arrive in proper garb to be protected and now are quarantined for 14 days.

It won't be long before we have more cases.  The woman was in a nursing home.

Our church met today.  We are a small congregation that shares space in an interfaith center.  We were the only congregation that met.  Instead of a sermon we made bag lunches for the local homeless shelter.  We decided after worship that next week the "worship service" would be streamed on FaceBook. What we don't know is how long this will be for.  The interfaith center is likely to close down sometime next week too.

Finally with the virus arriving here in the county, the county executive announced that the malls, bars and restaurants would be closed.  Only exception would be for restaurants that deliver food.

The only thing on my calendar that would take me out of Vantage Point, my home, is volunteering at Neighbor Ride.  Even that may not happen.

The world is closing down.

Signs of Spring

Life goes on despite the horrible state of the world's health.

I took a walk after lunch and captured some signs of spring.

Daffodils in the woods along the trail.

New green leaves

A greening of the ground cover on the river bank.

A willow showing its new color.

At first I thought this swath of yellow was pansies.

Closer inspection and I discovered miniature daffodils.

In the raised bed in the gardens behind Vantage Point the perennials I rescued from daughter's home to babysit before she moved to Buffalo, NY are showing new growth.

We learned last night that they found a house to purchase and their contract was accepted.  These plants should have a new home come late June.  Well, that's if we can travel there then.

Our World is Shutting Down

I spent my four hour shift at Neighbor Ride today mostly contacting clients and drivers to tell them rides had been canceled and taking calls from clients who were told by doctors not to come in to offices.

Word came out about two hours into my stint that the county executive had ordered the library to close for two weeks and senior centers to close for 45 days.  That meant more calls to be made canceling rides that had been put into the system for the month.

A decision was made by the Neighbor Ride director in consultation with Office of Aging to limit rides for next two weeks to medical requests and then only those that had been requested as of today at 2 pm.  When I go in next Friday it will be to answer the phones and tell clients we can't take their requests.

Once I got home here to Vantage Point new restrictions have been placed on guests here:

No guests allowed in common areas.  So that means even the coffee machines are off limits.

No children under 14 allowed in the community at all.

Personal aides coming from outside contractors have to report to Wellness Center for health screening.  Common areas are off limits for them unless with a resident.

I read this op ed today that says to really slow the spread of this virus so that medical facilities can keep up we all need to stay put as much as we can.  

Wow! Our world is shutting down.

New Measures to Keep Us Safe

Learned yesterday from the Director of this retirement community of new measures she is implementing to keep us Covid-19 free.

Outside performers. speakers, and class teachers are banned for two months.

I got emails from my card making teacher and Zentangle teacher that they will see me again in May.

Visitors to independent living tower are to be self screening.

Don't enter if you've traveled out of the country, or if you have any symptoms of any illness.

No more guests for meals in any of our eating venues.

Discouraging any visitors especially young children.

All trips canceled.

For the health center which has assisted living, comprehensive nursing care, and memory care all visitors are banned.

Staff for health center will be screened with temperature readings before starting work.

All staff are to monitor their health.

It goes on and will get more stringent. So far this county has no cases of the virus but adjacent counties all do. 

How is it where you live?