Love Can Be No Fun At All: Living With the COVID-19 Pandemic

Love Is

by Nikki Giovanni

Some people forget that love is

tucking you in and kissing you

"Good night"

no matter how young or old you are

Some people don't remember that

love is

listening and laughing and asking

questions

no matter what your age

Few recognize that love is

commitment, responsibility

no fun at all

unless

Love is

You and me

“Love Is” by Nikki Giovanni addresses the novel and unusual understanding that “love is … no fun at all.” Yet, that statement is written with the simple caveat of “unless (that) love” is between “you and me.” The “commitment and responsibility” we show to loved ones – “tucking them in” and “kissing them good night” – are blissful functions, not dreaded duties.

Yet one inference which can be drawn from the verse is that such intimate care is much less likely to be given to others less intimate to us – casual acquaintances, strangers, fellow human beings. I think that is often true about our feelings of responsibility to love one another. To take care of those people can, indeed, be “no fun at all.” It can simply be hard work requiring diligent attention.

Yet, the obligation to love others in our society is absolute and crystal clear – a charge given by no other than Jesus Christ.

“42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

“44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’

“45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

– Matthew 25: 42-46 English Standard Version

William Barclay (1907-1978), professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism at the University of Glasgow explained …

“God will judge us in accordance with our reaction to human need. His judgment does not depend on the knowledge we have amassed, or the fame that we have acquired, or the fortune that we have gained, but on the help that we have given. And there are certain things which this parable teaches us about the help which we must give.

“1. It must be help in simple things. The things which Jesus picks out--giving a hungry man a meal, or a thirsty man a drink, welcoming a stranger, cheering the sick, visiting the prisoner--are things which anyone can do. It is not a question of giving away thousands of pounds, or of writing our names in the annals of history; it is a case of giving simple help to the people we meet every day. There never was a parable which so opened the way to glory to the simplest people.

“2. It must be help which is uncalculating. Those who helped did not think that they were helping Christ and thus piling up eternal merit; they helped because they could not stop themselves. It was the natural, instinctive, quite uncalculating reaction of the loving heart. Whereas, on the other hand, the attitude of those who failed to help was; "If we had known it was you we would gladly have helped; but we thought it was only some common man who was not worth helping." It is still true that there are those who will help if they are given praise and thanks and publicity; but to help like that is not to help, it is to pander to self-esteem. Such help is not generosity; it is disguised selfishness. The help which wins the approval of God is that which is given for nothing but the sake of helping.

“3. Jesus confronts us with the wonderful truth that all such help given is given to himself, and all such help withheld is withheld from himself. How can that be? If we really wish to delight a parent's heart, if we really wish to move him to gratitude the best way to do it is to help his child. God is the great Father; and the way to delight the heart of God is to help his children, our fellow-men.”

– Barclay's Daily Bible Studies, “The Fate of the Unprepared”

We are experiencing the deadly pandemic of COVID-19 coronavirus. As health experts and other public officials beg people to take responsibility and love others by practicing the rules, regulations, and recommendations of social distancing and sheltering-in-place, we still see those who ignore those important instructions. Not only do they endanger themselves and their loved ones, but also they endanger all other human beings through their reckless, uncaring behavior.

These people use any excuse to fulfill selfish desires while putting the public at risk. Although some are simply ignorant, perhaps incapable of understanding, most feel entitled. Researcher Emily Zitek, an assistant professor with the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, says …

“Entitled folks are motivated by a powerful sense of indignation. They don't think it's fair for other people to tell them what to do. Instructions are essentially an unfair imposition. They want to do their own thing. They feel like they deserve good things and special treatment."

(Dennis Thompson. “Why the 'Entitled' Think Rules

Don't Apply to Them.” Web MD.)

Penalties or punishments do nothing to improve the conduct of entitled persons – those who believe they deserve the best regardless of their performance or effort. Is is evident the government must make every effort to make entitled people behave in a manner that protects us all. In the context of this post, someone must make people “love” others.

No doubt, the times are trying on us all. We are required to make sacrifices and pledge to adhere to significant changes while maintaining a long-term, steadfast devotion to principles that save lives. Nikki Giovanni reminds us of that important “unless” about love. We tend to take special care of intimate relationships. Yet, being attentive to others at a greater distance who are desperately in need may seem to be a tremendous hardship … evidently a privation many are unwilling to take.

In her verse, Giovanni acknowledges the hardship of being particularly attentive to all people. We should do this in accordance to their needs. We should do it with great selflessness. And, we should do it in the spirit of a loving God. Even in a global and national perspective “Love is You and Me.”

Three Treasures: Use Them To Fight COVID-19

“Compassion, simplicity, and patience are celebrated as the “Three Treasures” of Taoism. This ancient Chinese philosophy is useful in times of crisis. The wisdom of Taoism teaches us to be yielding, flexible, and resilient. One translation of the three jewels calls them mercy, moderation, and humility. Another translation speaks of love, unpretentiousness, and modesty.

“Whatever we call them, these three virtues are essential in a time of crisis. And even in ordinary times, it is wise to be merciful, mellow, and moderate.”

– Andrew Fiala, professor of philosophy
and director of The Ethics Center at Fresno State

In the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are under tremendous pressures. Loneliness, depression, and other maladies are certainly exacerbated by C-19 restrictions. Yet, we can use this time of sheltering in place to seek wisdom that will serve us during this unprecedented times. One can look for comfort in the basic virtues in Taoism.

"Three treasures" first occurs in Tao Te Ching, chapter 67, which Lin Yutang (1948:292) says contains Laozi's "most beautiful teachings.” Loosely translated …

“Here are my three treasures. Guard and keep them!

The first is pity; the second, frugality; the third, refusal to be 'foremost of all things under heaven.'

For only he that pities is truly able to be brave;
Only he that is frugal is able to be profuse.
Only he that refuses to be foremost of all things

Is truly able to become chief of all Ministers.”

The first of the Three Treasures is ci, literally "compassion, tenderness, love, mercy, kindness, gentleness, benevolence,” which is also a Classical Chinese term for "mother" (with "tender love, nurturing " semantic associations).

The second is jian, literally "frugality, moderation, economy, restraint, be sparing,” a practice that the Tao Te Ching praises. Ellen M. Chen believes jian is "organically connected" with the Taoist metaphor pu ("uncarved wood; simplicity") and "stands for the economy of nature that does not waste anything. When applied to the moral life it stands for the simplicity of desire.

The third treasure is a phrase instead of a single word: Bugan wei tianxia xian "not dare to be first/ahead in the world.” The third treasure, daring not be at the world's front, is the Taoist way to avoid premature death. This is a treasure whose secret spring is the fear of losing one's life before one's time – patience. This fear of death, out of a love for life, is indeed the key to Taoist wisdom. Quick action must not lose sight of the long run. Panicked reactions make things worse. Fortitude, persistence, and hope makes things better.

The Tao encourages us to be in touch with our own deepest selves. For when you know who you really are, that is when you discover eternal peace.

“Be the silent watcher of your thoughts and behavior. To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love and joy underneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment.”

– Eckhart Tolle, author and spiritual teacher

To use a metaphor, the American people are in a storm under the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. We must not allow ourselves to be swept away by the violent wind and the driving rain of the tempest. If we shelter in place and find peace, quietness, and calmness, we deny the tendency to submit to the chaotic turmoil of the storm. As we look to ourselves, we harvest palpable power and tremendous energy – that vitality literally saves lives.

“Into a soul absolutely free

From thoughts and emotion,

Even the tiger finds no room

To insert its fierce claws.”

– A Taoist Priest

Have you noticed that the more you hurry, the less you get done? If “hurry” is your way of life, you take a big health risk. No person can hurry for a lifetime without having to pay the price sooner or later.

“We cannot see our reflection in running water.

It is only in still water that we can see.”

– Taoist proverb

You do not need to hurry. Everything under ‘Heaven’s Net’ is working perfectly on time. In this time of “hunkering down,” you must practice patience and be calm. You can be sure to take your time … time not only to dwell on mercy, moderation, and humility, but time to practice these personal virtues. The wisdom you gain will serve you always.

“Profound virtue is indeed deep and wide.

It leads all things back to the great order.”

--Tao Te Ching chapter 65

Vocabulary Quiz on COVID-19 Terminology

Keeping up with the latest information about COVID-19 can be challenging. It can also be confusing if you don't know some basic coronavirus vocabulary. So, in an effort to facilitate education, here is a quiz with questions about terms pertinent to the news.

Please answer the following questions (use a note pad to record responses). Don't cheat. The answers will be provided after the questions. Feel free to offer feedback about your score. 

Vocabulary Quiz on COVID-19 Terminology

1. ___ “Asymptomatic” means
   a. showing no evidence of the disease,
   b. showing many symptoms of the disease,
   c. showing one symptom of the disease,
   d. showing off your SIMS card.

2. ___ Chloroquine is being explored and tested as a possible treatment for the coronavirus. It is a drug used to treat
   a. diabetes,
   b. kidney failure,
   c. malaria,
   d. swimming pools.

3. ___ The CDC is a US federal agency based in Atlanta, Georgia. The acroynm stands for
   a. Central District Corornavirus,
   b. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
   c. Control Disease Circulation,
   d. Compact Disc Central.

4. ___ Community spread is spread of a disease where the infection source is
   a. unknown,
   b. limited,
   c. airborne,
   d. transmitted by margarine.

5. ___ COVID-19 is a communicable disease. “Communicable” means
   a. widely known,
   b. under investigation,
   c. capable of being easily spread,
   d. instigated by Communists.
6. ___ Coronavirus refers to any of various RNA-containing spherical viruses of the family Coronaviridae, including several that cause
   a. acute respiratory illnesses,
   b. rapid heart failure,
   c. digestive issues,
   d. intense desire to purchase Toyotas.
7. ___ COVID is short for coronavirus disease. The number 19 refers to the fact that the disease
   a. is the 19th corona virus,
   b. was first detected in 2019,
   c. is the 19th deadliest pandemic,
   d. is impossible to figure in the new math curriculum.
8. ___ The branch of medicine dealing with the incidence and prevalence of disease in large populations and with detection of the source and cause of epidemics of infectious disease is
   a. Epidemiology,
   b. Onomatology,
   c. Physiopathology,
   d. Igotnoclueogy.
9. ___ When a disease, such as COVID-19, spreads exponentially, that generally means
   a. slow but sure,
   b. in large communities,
   c. steadily but rapidly,
   d. among the rich and po'.
10. ___ Slowing the spread of an epidemic disease so that the capacity of the healthcare system doesn’t become overwhelmed is commonly known as
    a. rounding the bend,
    b. flattening the curve,
    c. chemical indoctrination,
    d. opening up a can of “whip ass.”
11. ___ Immunity is the state of being
    a. “protected from a disease,”
    b. “more likely to be infected by a disease,”
    c. “capable of passing the disease to others,
    d. “immensely puny in the first person, aka “I muny” (most puny).
12. ___ The incubation period means the period between infection and the
    a. end of the disease,
    b. last symptoms of the disease,
    c. appearance of signs of a disease.
    d. appearance of the disease in Cuba.

13. ___ Disease mitigation are measures taken to slow the spread of infection. What is NOT a form of mitigation?
    a. Quarantine,
    b. Isolation,
    c. Social distancing,
    d. Breaking the Guiness Record of stuffing people into a telephone booth.

14. ___ A disease prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world is a
    a. pandemic,
    b. epidemic,
    c. endemic,
    d. elasticwaistbandodemic.

15. ___ Social distancing emphasizes the importance of maintaining
    a. psychological distance between people,
    b. physical distance between people,
    c. close distance among people,
    d. absence of sensual embrace on the dance floor – refer to “How to Slow Dance with Your Mother-in-Law.”

16. ___ Quarantine is
    a. limited isolation
    b. strict isolation,
    c. absence of isolation,
    d. a dance with your mother-in-law.

17. ___ A a heavy-duty, polymer masklike device worn over the mouth and nose to prevent the inhalation of noxious substances or the like is the
    a. N95 respirator,
    b. face mask,
    c. surgical mask,
    d. catcher's mask.

18. ___ A virus, bacterium, or other microorganism that produces a disease is a
    a. flu,
    b. toxin,
    c. pathogen,
    d. bad mama jama.

19. ___ A ventilator is a machine that helps a patient
    a. pump blood by transfusion,
    b. breathe by pumping oxygen into the lungs and removing carbon dioxide,
    c. restore normal rhythm to the heart,
    d. take out frustrations and vent over the cost of a hospital stay.

20. ___ WHO stands for
    a. the World Health Organization,
    b. the Wholistic (Holistic) Medical Health Organization,
    c. the World HIV Organization,
    d. the Wonder Who's On First Organization.

______________________________________________________________________________

Answers: 1. a  2. c  3. b  4. a  5. c  6. a  7. b  8. a  9. c  10. b

11. a  12. c  13. d  14. a  15. b  16. b  17. a  18. c  19. b  20. 

Many thanks to “Coronavirus: The Words You Need To Understand the News” by John Kelly, Senior Research Editor at Dictionary.com

https://www.dictionary.com/e/coronavirus-words/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SUNDAY+Quotes+Audience+Email+2019+2020-03-15&utm_term=Quote+Emails+%28primary%29&fbclid=IwAR3rlvdeGWcQqIvFN3o7zqCnyOo_GSsnc5T8IPwLXfxwRpRZlYrv9nv2dBs

Dan Patrick and Dying Grandparents

“Those of us who are 70 plus, we’ll take care of ourselves. But don’t sacrifice the country … No one reached out to me and said, 'As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that America loves for its children and grandchildren?' And if that is the exchange, I'm all in.”

– Dan Patrick, Texas’ Republican lieutenant governor, March 23, 2020

Patrick, who will turn 70 next week, made this comment to the nation on Fox News' “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” On Monday, March 23, 2020, he boldly suggested that he and other grandparents would be willing to risk their health and even lives in order for the United States to “get back to work” amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Patrick said he did not fear COVID-19, but feared that stay-at-home orders and economic upheaval would destroy the American way of life. Patrick made these comments as millions of people across the country have been ordered to stay at home except to conduct essential business. Health experts have said limiting social interaction is the best way to slow the spread of infection and reduce the chance of overwhelming medical professionals and facilities.

Some cities and counties in Texas have such orders, but there is no statewide shelter-in-place policy. Texas has more than 350 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths related to the virus. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has resisted calling a stay-at-home order for all of Texas but local officials in Dallas and San Antonio have. Patrick said …

"Let's get back to work. Let’s get back to living. Let’s be smart about it.”

Patrick's comments about “being smart” contradict what health experts have made clear – unless Americans continue to dramatically limit social interaction — staying home from work and isolating themselves — the number of infections will overwhelm the health care system, as it has in parts of Italy, leading to many more deaths.

It is impossible to even consider what the Texas lieutenant governor advocates – sacrificing lives for the sake of the economy. Patrick believes even if older people become infected with the illness and die, social distancing should be lifted and people must “get back to work.”

Patrick made an ambiguous attempt to soften his position by saying ...

“We all want to live. We all want to live with our grandchildren as long as we can. But the point is our biggest gift we give to our country and our children and our grandchildren is the legacy of our country, and right now, that is at risk.”

Patrick says the “biggest gift” is the “legacy” of our country? How irresponsible of a leader to discount the value of the lives of those who face the reality of the coronavirus. The biggest gift for all right now is the grant of necessary protection by government officials to insure human existence – especially prevention for those most vulnerable. And, by the way, those “children and grandchildren” of whom he speaks are included in that range of serious vulnerability.

Of course, Patrick’s comments came as other Republicans, including President Donald Trump, pushes for the end of social distancing to rescue the sinking economy, even as the coronavirus continues to plague the country.

Patrick should be condemned for his comments. Voters should remember his words during the crisis. Should he be removed from office? I guess all of that is part of the “legacy” to which he refers. I wonder if he is willing to “exchange” his reputation and his job for his beliefs?

All this from a man who tweeted on March 23 …

“Know the facts about #COVID19. Don’t share rumors & unintentionally spread misinformation. Federal, state & local governments are posting current and accurate information. For help in distinguishing rumor from fact, see @FEMA Coronavirus Rumor Control: https://bit.ly/3ahGFD”

Excuse me for saying this, but I am learning to appreciate the full range of emotion and meaning in a recent phrase I have seen posted on social media ... “Fuck this fucking fuck.” I sincerely believe it applies to our fine lieutenant governor from Texas. In contrition, I'll quote another man who actually makes his living by saying outrageous things: “Lord, I apologize for that there, and … be with the pygmies in New Guinea, amen.”

A Social Distancing History Lesson -- Philadelphia vs. St. Louis in 1918

1918 Liberty Loan Parade

“When the influenza epidemic of 1918 infected a quarter of the U.S. population, killing hundreds of thousands nationally and millions across the globe, seemingly small choices made the difference between life and death.

“As the disease was spreading, Wilmer Krusen, Philadelphia’s health commissioner, allowed a huge parade to take place on September 28; some 200,000 people marched. In the following days and weeks, the bodies piled up in the city’s morgues. (Within 72 hours, every bed in Philadelphia's 31 hospitals was filled. And, by the end of the next week, more than 4,500 were dead.) By the end of the season, 12,000 residents had died.

“In St. Louis, a public-health commissioner named Max Starkloff decided to shut the city down. Ignoring the objections of influential businessmen, he closed the city’s schools, bars, cinemas, and sporting events. Thanks to his bold and unpopular actions, the per capita fatality rate in St. Louis was half that of Philadelphia. (In total, roughly 1,700 people died from influenza in St Louis.)”

(Yascha Mounk. “Cancel Everything.” The Atlantic. March 10, 2020.)

Though the H1N1 virus infected 80% of the population in Spain, it seemed far away from Philadelphia – it mainly spread through Europe and Asia, according to information from the University of Pennsylvania Archives & Records Center.

The virus didn't reach the US until the spring of 1918, among military personnel, the CDC says. As US troops came home from World War I, cases popped up in cities like Boston.

Leah Asmelash of CNN relates what happened in Philadelphia ...

“The virus spread to Philadelphia on September 19, 1918, through the Philadelphia Navy Yard, U.Penn states. In a matter of days, 600 sailors had the virus. Yet, Philadelphia didn't cancel its Liberty Loan Parade (to promote government bonds issued to apy for Worl War I), scheduled for just a little more than a week later. Meant to be a patriotic wartime effort, the parade went on as scheduled on September 28, bringing 200,000 Philadelphians together.”

Make no mistake, the parade wasn't all to blame. Other factors contributed to the flu's spread, including high population and poor working and living conditions. Still, it's an example of what not to do during a pandemic, according to CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarantine.

A different story played out in St. Louis, just 900 miles away. Within two days of detecting its first cases among civilians, the city closed schools, playgrounds, libraries, courtrooms, and even churches. Work shifts were staggered and streetcar ridership was strictly limited. Public gatherings of more than 20 people were banned.

The key to social distancing appears to be the speed to which its initiated. Philadelphia delayed and the consequences were severe.

This is an important historical report of the effectiveness of social distancing and other measures taken during the 1918 Pandemic (H1N1 virus). It is imperative to apply this American history lesson to the 2020 COVID-19 Coronavirus disease. Drastic measures are in place to stop the spread of the disease and to save potentially millions of lives. The people of the United States must adhere to critical instructions and restrictions that protect all citizens. No one can imagine what might happen if large groups of people ignore the regulations.

Understanding Parallels to the Past

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.

Like the 1918 influenza, COVID-19 has the potential to maim and kill untold numbers of people. In 1918, with no vaccine to protect against influenza infection and no antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections that could be associated with influenza infections, control efforts worldwide were limited to non-pharmaceutical interventions such as isolation, quarantine, good personal hygiene, use of disinfectants, and limitations of public gatherings, which were applied unevenly.

Social control measures such as closing schools and banning public gatherings played a significant role in slowing the advance of the 1918 influenza pandemic in a number of U.S. cities, but their success depended on how soon the measures were deployed and how slowly they were lifted.

Research

Research supports social distancing. In 2007, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) were the first to give statistical support to the past usefulness of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), the term for an array of social-distancing measures such as school closures and business "snow days" that planners believe may mitigate the impact of future flu pandemics.

Neil Ferguson, D.Phil., director of the MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modeling at Imperial College London and lead author of one of the 2007 papers said …

"We have had (as of 2007) very little data to suggest that NPIs could have a major effect on transmission during a pandemic; these things have not been looked at in a robust way. This is the first indication that maybe they would work if you are prepared to bite the bullet and accept the inherent costs."

Nancy Tomes, PhD. relates her research and the importance of the lessons learned from the 1918-1919 pandemic. History can teach us all valuable lessons. Please be aware of this one and also be willing to apply the knowledge to defeat the coronavirus of 2020.

“The influenza pandemic came to the United States, wrote physician George Price in December 1918, in the guise of both “destroyer and teacher.” Like the Black Death had centuries before, he observed, influenza had many lessons to teach, if only people were wise enough to comprehend them …

“The Spanish influenza arrived in the United States at a time when new forms of mass transportation, mass media, mass consumption, and mass warfare had vastly expanded the public places in which communicable diseases could spread. Faced with a deadly 'crowd' disease, public health authorities tried to implement social-distancing measures at an unprecedented level of intensity.

“Recent historical work suggests that the early and sustained imposition of gathering bans, school closures, and other social-distancing measures significantly reduced mortality rates during the 1918–1919 epidemics. This finding makes it all the more important to understand the sources of resistance to such measures, especially since social-distancing measures remain a vital tool in managing the current H1N1 influenza pandemic. To that end, this historical analysis revisits the public health lessons learned during the 1918–1919 pandemic and reflects on their relevance for the present.”

(Nancy Tomes. “Destroyer and Teacher”: Managing the Masses During the 1918–1919 Influenza Pandemic.” Public Health Rep. 2010; 125. Suppl 3: 48–62. 2010)

COVID-19 and Building Our Fate

The Builders

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

All are architects of Fate,
Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great,
Some with ornaments of rhyme.

Nothing useless is, or low;
Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest.

For the structure that we raise,
Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays
Are the blocks with which we build.

Truly shape and fashion these;
Leave no yawning gaps between;
Think not, because no man sees,
Such things will remain unseen.

In the elder days of Art,
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
For the Gods see everywhere.

Let us do our work as well,
Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house, where Gods may dwell,
Beautiful, entire, and clean.

Else our lives are incomplete,
Standing in these walls of Time,
Broken stairways, where the feet
Stumble as they seek to climb.

Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
Shall to-morrow find its place.

Thus alone can we attain
To those turrets, where the eye
Sees the world as one vast plain,
And one boundless reach of sky.

We are suffering a worldwide pandemic never before equaled in modern times. COVID-19, the coronavirus, is spreading disease and death across America. In most states the community spread is occurring rapidly in an ever-escalating acceleration phase. The duration and severity of each phase of the virus can vary depending on the characteristics of the virus and the public health response.

Officials like Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who heads the United Nations agency, said the World Health Organization was "deeply concerned by the alarming levels of spread and severity" of the outbreak. Tedros said …

"All countries can still change the course of this pandemic – if countries detect, test, treat, isolate, trace and mobilize their people in the response."

To slow the spread of the coronavirus, federal and state governments are implementing drastic measures to flatten the curve of the contraction. Unprecedented school and business closings have changed the environment of the country. People are expressing emotions ranging from mild anxiety to extreme fear as they cope to steer these uncharted waters. It is imperative that people stay informed and do everything possible to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Still …

Some segments of the public ignore suggestions and regulations imposed by officials as they continue to gather in public, risk contamination, and gamble with their lives and the lives of others. In their disbelief and indifference they ask: “Why do we have to follow these rules of conduct and social distancing when we believe the virus will not affect us?”

Such people selfishly resist proactive efforts, preferring not to believe public risks outweigh the personal sacrifices they must make.

To be socially conscious during a pandemic, each one of us has to go through an internal analysis of the things we do … and rightly so. Someone who needs to be coerced or forced to heed life-saving measures has a hollow understanding of the common good and the restraints necessary to assure the safety of the concentric society surrounding him or her. Such an egotistical person looks to support his or her displeasure at being inconvenienced with any and all reasons to doubt health models and credible news reports. In a word, that agnostic is a risk … a risk that endangers the health of all.

Those human risk-takers lack sufficient vision to understand that we, indeed, are “architects of fate.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow reminds us that builders of a safe society must do the work “seen and unseen” to “strengthen the rest.” As the poet says, the “firm and amble base” we design today “shall tomorrow find its place.”

Longfellow reminds us all people, no matter who they are, have contributed to the history and the “walls of time.” The speaker in the poem is describing the butterfly effect in which even the smallest act changes or “supports the rest.” Deeds which are considered “massive” only have the impact they do because of the smaller actions.

COVID-19 is the enemy of all people. As Longfellow wrote long ago, “All are architects of Fate/Working in these walls of Time.” All citizens of 2020 must heed these words and become “builders” of a safe and healthy nation, not detractors who refuse to obey “Stay At Home Orders” and other important safety measures that save lives. Actions large and small – those by huge groups and by each individual – will defeat the coronavirus and allow us to reach a new “clean and beautiful boundless reach of sky.”

Surrounded By Deep Water: No One Is Safe

No Man is an Island

No man is an island entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
As well as if a promontory were,
As well as any manor of thy friend's,
Or of thine own were.

Any man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

John Dunne, “Meditation XVII” from Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, and severall steps in my Sicknes (sic)

John Donne’s “Meditation XVII” is one of a series of essays he wrote when he was seriously ill in the winter of 1623, and has since been popularly remembered for one excerpt: “No man is an island.”

Having come close to death, he described the illness he had suffered from and his thoughts throughout his recovery with "near super-human speed and concentration.” What disease Donne suffered from is not known. Writers have suggested typhus as a likely culprit, but Donne's writings on the subject reference multiple diseases. Devotions is one of only seven works attributed to Donne which were printed during his lifetime.

The poem is suggestive thought of man’s interconnectedness overruling the dictum of his individuality (or even insularity). A person cannot extricate himself from the rest of the living continuum and pretend to be complete of his own integrity. It is implausible for one man to grow and thrive in society without the love and affection of his fellow-citizens.

Likening the isolated and insular man to an island, Donne insists how the individual is but a component of the larger mass of humanity, the “continent,” and can only exist in conjunction with the world outside. It is evident Donne's illness has made him dependent upon many trusted others for his complete recovery.

“No man is an island entire of itself.”

The promontory jutting out of the sea is as exposed to the destruction by the forces of the sea and the wind as man is susceptible to the loss of what he holds near and dear. The poet might be condemning the superfluous nature of the materialistic life in stating that the loss of a rich friend’s manor (his prized possession) parallels a similar devastating loss shared by anyone else who loses a less valuable home.

“If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
As well as if a promontory were,
As well as any manor of thy friend's,
Or of thine own were.

It is a realization of universal humanity in which the life cycle of each mortal being is propelled towards inevitable death.

“Any man's death diminishes me.”

The verse exhibits the urgency of how man thrives in the company of his fellow human beings, and how he is but an insignificant component of the entire scheme, equipped with his own intrinsic set of functionalities and dispensations in the world-order.

“Because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.”

The death of an individual – signified by the tolling of the bell – is of value if it is understood by those who make good use of it. Donne argues that the death of any individual is something others can learn from, should they understand it properly.

Thus, the death of any one man strikes a knell – an alarm onto the world – which reminds us we are diminished by his “deletion,” and the poet sees that as a tragedy for the human race. A wholly isolated individual rejects this socially encoded existence.

A conspicuous exchange and a transaction forge a relationship among all people. Surely, human beings can learn from the sufferings and experiences of their fellow humans to better prepare themselves for their own deaths. In the end, the bell tolls for each and every one of us.

National Nurses United -- The Need For Resources and Precautions To Fight Coronavirus

“According to a survey released by nurse union organization National Nurses United, 44% of nurses said their employer provided them with information to identify potential coronavirus cases. Only 19% of the 6,500 nurses across 48 states surveyed knew if their employer had policies to address if workers were potentially exposed to the virus.”

-- Steven Ross Johnson, Modern Healthcare (March 6, 2020)

The survey, conducted by the nation’s largest professional nursing union (March 3, 2020), found less than a third of nurses reported that their employers had enough protective equipment on hand to protect staff in the event of a surge of infections. And just 29 percent said their employers had a plan to isolate possible coronavirus patients.

Nurses are working without necessary personal protective equipment and lack education and training for handling the disease, said National Nurses United director Bonnie Castillo. Castillo says …

“Nurses are confident we can care for COVID-19 patients, and even help stop the spread of this virus, IF we are given the protections and resources we need to do our job. This is not the time to relax our approach or weaken existing state or federal regulations. This is the time to step up all of our efforts.”

Cathy Kennedy, a neonatal intensive care unit RN and NNU vice president who works at Kaiser Permanente in Roseville, Calif., where the first California COVID-19 patient just died, explains …

“The lines of communication between our employers and frontline staff on protocols for coronavirus and suspected coronavirus patients are not open for all shifts and all units. What happens when there is a lack of clear communication both ways between staff and management? Rumor and falsehoods fill the void, stoking unnecessary fear and anxiety. And the information nurses do get is contradictory.”

The NNU petitioned the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to adopt an emergency temporary standard to protect health care workers, patients, and the public. Currently, no enforceable OSHA infectious diseases standard exists nationally.

And in recent days, NNU has heard discussion about the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) weakening its current guidance even further, including recommending surgical masks instead of respirators for nurses providing care to patients with COVID-19. NNU is opposed to these changes.

Among their demands, NNU states …

“Employers shall implement plans and protocols in response to COVID-19 based on the precautionary principle which holds that lacking scientific consensus that a proposed action, policy, or act is not harmful – particularly if that harm has the potential to be catastrophic – such action, policy, or act should not be implemented and the maximum safeguards should be pursued.”

– “Survey of Nation’s Frontline Registered Nurses Shows Hospitals Unprepared For COVID-19” Press Release, National Nurses United/California Nurses Association (March 05, 2020)

In other words, the precautionary principle posits “when you don’t know what you’re dealing with, go above and beyond to protect the safety of those involved. Do as much as you can, not the least you can get away with.”

The foundation of the precautionary principle is conveyed by the common-sense advice to “err on the side of caution.” The principle is based on a desire to prevent harm to the environment, humans, other living creatures and ecological systems. It is a value statement, intended as an approach to decision-making, which asks decision-makers, policymakers and communities to consider the full range of direct and indirect costs of our decisions to health and the environment, even when full scientific certainty about potential harmful effects is lacking.

The NNU also demands all registered nurses and other health care workers must receive the highest level of protection in their workplaces, as determined by the precautionary principle:

1. The CDC must improve screening criteria and testing capacity to ensure prompt recognition of and response to COVID-19 cases.

2. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration must promulgate an Emergency Temporary Standard to protect healthcare workers from emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19 as soon as possible.

3. Congress and the administration must ensure that any vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 that is developed with U.S. taxpayer dollars is provided to the American public when needed for free.

4.Congress must act immediately to pass an emergency spending package to fund the emergency response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Why Joe Biden Rolled to Victory on Super Tuesday

Super Tuesday results rocketed Vice President Joe Biden's campaign with a sudden resurrection unparalleled in modern political history. Biden came off the mat in South Carolina and used this momentum to sweep other Southern states – winning the primaries in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas – as well as those in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Maine.

Based on preliminary exit poll data from 10 Super Tuesday states, Biden won at least 40 percent of the late-deciding vote in every state except for Sanders’s home state of Vermont.

How did this happen? Let's explore reasons for the phenomenon.

1. It's hard to remember a time when black voters have risen up to save a white political leader. But it appears they did it Tuesday.

South Carolina suddenly gave Biden the aura of a winner, and his Super Tuesday win came from overwhelming African American support.

In South Carolina, one endorsement in particular, that of Representative Jim Clyburn, mattered most. Clyburn is the power broker in the state; his “world famous” fish fry is a requirement for any candidate who hopes to be competitive there. According to cable-news exit polls, 47 percent of primary voters in the state said Clyburn’s endorsement was an important factor in their decision making.

Clyburn is a singular figure in politics. Few endorsements anywhere carry the weight that the House majority whip’s does in South Carolina. Clyburn was crucial to Biden's success the following Tuesday.

Exit polls from Super Tuesday show Biden won 63% of black Democratic voters casting their ballots in Virginia, 72% in Alabama and about 60% in Texas and North Carolina.

Black voters in northern states are different from those of the south. Southern blacks, more moderate than their northern counterparts, overwhelmingly supported Biden.

Biden won about seven out of 10 black votes in Alabama and Virginia, and nearly half of all black votes in Tennessee and North Carolina.

Biden’s strength among black communities also made the difference in narrowly winning Texas, where African Americans make up about one-fifth of the Democratic primary electorate and Biden won at least three times more of their votes than Sanders did.

(Kenya Evelyn. “What Super Tuesday revealed about black voters: they're not a monolith.” The Guardian. March 5, 2020.)

Biden's victory in a state like Alabama indicates there is a significant Democratic population looking to the 2020 race to heal America. Relationships built over decades – including those with President Obama –foster trust. He may not be as well-versed on issues of racial justice as other candidates, but black voters know Joe Biden and clearly, that is more than half the battle.

"We know Joe Biden. He came down here and worked with us before there ever was a Barack Obama."

– South Carolina voter

2. Hispanic voters in key states like Texas decided late to back Biden

Biden won 38 percent of Hispanic voters who decided late versus just 20 percent of earlier deciders. That kind of margin helped make a difference for Biden in Texas, where he won by just 3 points. Hispanic voters made up about one-third of the Texas electorate, and about a quarter of them decided their vote in the last few days. Of those, 34 percent backed Biden, compared to 23 percent of the earlier deciders.

3. White voters who decided late played a key role in Biden’s success.

Each state’s electorate was at least 80 percent white. Gary Langer, ABC’s polling guru, reported on election night that, in aggregate data across all states with exit polls, Biden won 52 percent of white voters who decided in the last few days compared to just 21 percent among those who picked a candidate earlier. That 31-point margin was the largest among any racial or ethnic group for which sources have data. Late deciders made a huge difference in Maine, Massachusetts and Minnesota.

4. Voters over the age of 45 voted overwhelmingly for Biden.

But, the real insights come from the fact that Biden dominated the 60-70% of Democratic primary voters who describe themselves as "somewhat liberal" or "moderate." Sanders won "very liberal" voters consistently – which makes sense for a self-described democratic socialist – but they only made up roughly a quarter of Democratic primary voters.

(John Avlon. “Bernie Sanders' ceiling and Joe Biden's 'Avengers.'”

WENY News. March 4, 2020.)

5. Bernie Sanders potentially hit a ceiling with new voters and the electoral map.

Bernie Sanders is getting fewer votes in many states than he did four years ago. For example, he won Oklahoma four years ago but lost decisively to Biden this year. Sanders won his home state of Vermont with 50.7% of the vote -- but that was down from 86% four years before.

Biden's record and message of building bridges hits the sweet spot between black voters and socially conservative, religious voters of all demographics who are using their votes not only to reject Trump policies, but also to reject radical social change.

“Do voters want a revolution – or a restoration?”

– Raul A. Reyes, CNN

It appears more want a restoration with Biden than a Sanders' revolution.

6. Democrats seemed to finally pay serious attention to what his nomination might mean – the number one issue for Democrats is defeating Donald Trump.

Establishment Democrats consolidated around Biden in a serious and meaningful way at just the right moment – contenders Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, both midwestern centrists – decided to bow out of the race before Super Tuesday and throw their support behind Biden. This group was dubbed "the moderate Avengers" on CNN's New Day in an exchange with Wajahat Ali.

It's a reminder of why a competent government let by experts rather than partisan crawlers matters to people's lives. Joe Biden's big Super Tuesday reflects the belief that Biden can beat Trump and Sanders could hurt Democrats in swing districts. Biden showed he had the grit and the resilience to reach deep inside himself and find his core strength – an important asset for any political leader.

Biden Onward and Upward?

What does the future hold for Joe Biden? Let's be certain – he will not only need all of these older voters, white voters, black voters, and Hispanic voters to support him, Biden must also convince more young people and women of all persuasions to join his quest for the presidency. Can Biden overcome the hurdles that tripped Clinton in 2016 and motivate a largely centrist liberal voting public to include those seeking deep social change? I believe he must; he can; and he will.

“With plenty of delegates still up for grabs, Sanders has time to regroup. Biden will be under pressure to raise money and build a bigger organization quickly, and he’ll have to continue navigating the verbal stumbles that first caused Democrats to doubt his viability in the general election … Michigan, which is the biggest prize on March 10, was the site of one of Sanders’s most surprising victories over Hillary Clinton in 2016, when he overcame a polling deficit of more than 20 points …

“An even bigger day on the primary calendar is March 17, when Ohio, Illinois, and Florida all weigh in. Florida is where Sanders is likely to struggle the most: Clinton walloped him there in 2016, and his democratic-socialist agenda is a poor fit for the state’s large population of older people and more conservative Hispanic voters.”

(Russell Berman and Adam Harris. “The Establishment Strikes Back.”

The Atlantic. March 4, 2020.)