Shelter in Place

I don't think I've posted in quite such an of the moment moment before, but today's announcement from the County of Santa Clara has me feeling the need to document this...moment?  More the feeling.  I've been feeling ok about all the shelter in place/work from home/don't go nowhere--a little concerned but mostly ok.

Today's press release highlights just how very serious this situation is:

https://www.sccgov.org/sites/phd/news/Pages/press-release-03-31-2020.aspx

Through May 3rd 2020

"Use of playgrounds, dog parks, public picnic areas, and similar recreational areas is prohibited. These areas must be closed to public use.
Use of shared public recreational facilities such as golf courses, tennis and basketball courts, pools, and rock walls is prohibited. These facilities must be closed for recreational use.
Sports requiring people to share a ball or other equipment must be limited to people in the same household
Requires essential businesses to develop a social distancing protocol before April 3
Most construction—residential and commercial—is prohibited
Funerals limited to no more than 10 people attending
Essential businesses expanded to include service providers that enable residential transactions (notaries, title companies, Realtors, etc.); funeral homes and cemeteries; moving companies, rental car companies and rideshare services that specifically enable essential activities
Essential businesses that continue to operate facilities must scale down operations to their essential component only

Social distancing is the most powerful tool to slow the spread of COVID-19, a virus so new that it has no approved medicines or vaccines"

First I have to say a respectful thank you to the county health officers and other local government leaders who are laying forth this plan.  It won't make you popular but it will save lives.  People are struggling with this new not normal and the fallout is seen on social media posts and other places online where people can comment freely. 

No approved medicines or vaccines.  In a country where many people are conditioned to work when they are sick, staying home while healthy to prevent being sick is proving difficult, as is for many the need to stay away from beloved institutions be they coffee shops or bookstores.  We worry about how to protect what may already be gone. 

So I'm sitting with the gravity of this message.  I know it is for the absolute best and I'm deeply grateful to the people making these firm and must be regarded regulations.  But the seriousness does raise the hair on the back of my neck, too.  No vaccines, no approved medicines.  Add on to that the lack of sufficient medical equipment no wonder that preventing the spread of COVID-19 is a vital strategy.

The dominant American culture I have experienced/witnessed  is one of ambition and busyness.  Work hard, stay busy, plan, thrive, excel...we have been on the go with our commuter mugs, incredibly long commutes, and not taking vacation days.  What we do for work has often defined us as who we are as individuals.

Taking a moment to pause here and think about the context for this, feeling again the tension of gratitude for people with the knowledge and foresight in my county and state who are willing to throw this blanket of protection over us and fear for the other parts of the country whose leaders did not/could not/would not. 

To my California governor and my Santa Clara County leaders...thank you.