Coronavirus - The Rambling Mind

"I wonder what tomorrow has in mind for me,
Or even if I'm in it's mind at all.
Perhaps. I'll get a chance to look ahead and see,
As soon as I find myself a crystal ball......"

                                                 - Tommy Shaw


So, here we start another week of "social distancing" and the finish line just moved a little further down the track. Yesterday, we got word from our Governor that we will be "sheltering in place" for the unforeseeable future. Ode to joy....

With all of the downtime that many of us will face, it's inevitable that our minds will wander. I have been thinking about how the COVID-19 crisis will affect our behavior going forward. For instance, will the traditional handshake become a thing of the past? I can remember playing a tennis match years ago. After the match, it's normal "tennis etiquette" for the players to meet at the net and shake hands. Well, after a competitive match, I met my opponent at the net and extended my hand to him. Surprisingly, he offered me a "fist bump" instead, explaining that he doesn't shake hands because of germs. My first reaction had me feeling a bit offended. I mean I shower every day and have relatively good overall hygiene. I even floss regularly. So, why would this guy think that I had germs? But nonetheless, I obliged him with his anticipated fist bump and moved on. But now I'm wondering if he was actually onto something.

I also wonder about the purchasing trends of toilet paper as we move past this crisis. Will people continue to stock up for a "rainy day"? Or will they go back to living dangerously? Let me mention this.....never underestimate the power of a high fiber diet during these trying times. This also leads me to wonder how many trees can be saved by one container of MetaMucil.

Through the years, we have all seen those images of random people donning surgeons's masks in places like China and Indonesia. But through the past couple of weeks, I have seen this same image at my local grocery and hardware stores. You expect to see a mask on the guy finishing your drywall but not on the cashier at Walgreens. I'm wondering if this trend will continue even after the coronavirus moves out.

With the shortage of personal protective equipment, ventilators and other critical materials, will there be a push for more manufacturing of these items here in the US? Our dependence on overseas manufacturing has been fully exposed during this global crisis. Will this be a catalyst to bring back some of those manufacturing jobs to the States?

Since these contagious viruses make their rounds every few years. I can't help but wonder how the next one will be handled. Will we see impulsive toilet paper runs followed by mandatory shut-downs?

Overcoming a crisis often requires teamwork and unity. Although it has not been without contention, I like some of the recent bi-partisan efforts I've seen. Will this crisis help mend at least a few fences along the way? For the good of America, let's hope so.

And lastly, I'm wondering how we'll evaluate "essential" employees in the future. It goes without saying that our military, first responders and healthcare workers are, and always will be essential. No matter how dire the circumstances, these folks always step up to the plate and deliver. These guys are, no doubt, in a class all by themselves. But what about some of the people that work "ordinary" jobs? The cashier at your your local grocery store, the truck driver who delivers the essential goods, the service people who keep the gears turning, the mail carrier who brings you that stimulus check, the sanitation worker who picks up your trash ....all of these people are out there working hard to make our lives a little more convenient. So, if you happen to cross their path in the near future, give them a smile and a nod of appreciation.

Looking forward to the days when all of this is behind us. Until then, stay safe and think positive thoughts...

kw