Hottest week of Summer. Walking towards the car feels like opening a pre-heated oven. So glad, I’m actually at work enjoying a free all day Air Conditioning. Not everyone is lucky though, a co-worker has no electricity for 16 hours. Yesterday’s temperature went past 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Those with no AC have no choice but to go out for some cool air and comfort.
Some good news in my community. There’s less sick patients with COVID-19 symptoms this week. However, California’s COVID-19 numbers are still moving too fast and furious. Lowest average for August is 5,000 new cases per day, that’s 35,000 per week. California reached 100,000 new cases in less than a month. Total cases exceeds 643,000 with 11,606 deaths, placing our State to number 3 in most deaths in the country from COVID-19. Number 1 is New York, Number 2 is New Jersey. The difference is that the two other States have their COVID-19 deaths numbers in control close to a halt whereas California’s death numbers has been creeping steadily since the lockdown.
There is a lot of downplaying on the numbers of deaths as if those who died and who will die are insignificant. People keep saying case fatality rate for U.S.A. is only 3.1%, even people I know. U.S. population is about 331,245,770. If the virus eventually infects everyone, potentially 10,268,618 people can die if the virus creates havoc all year round for many, many years until an effective vaccine guarantees 100% effectivity. Flu season claim lives ever year despite of the yearly updated Flu vaccination. COVID-19 which is highly resistant, more infectious and deadly will claim more.
Anyone who tells us, “You’ll be fine. COVID-19 has very low chance of causing death or harm,” is being insensitive and dismissive to our real fears and worries. If something happens to us, those people won’t be there to help. They won’t be there to bear the loss, pain and hardship. I know this because few already told me this to my face in my real side of the world.
Being told, “You’re okay,” without even trying to know what makes you feel not okay is never okay.” It’s presumptive and annoying.
At this time of the pandemic, anxiety is high and valid, don’t shut off someone’s anxiety. Find time to listen because that may be just what people need. That may just be what we need.
If people continue to ignore the pleas of Gov. Newsom, our local leaders, public health officials and clinical medical professionals for Californians to do their part in controlling the COVID-19 outbreak, we will reach our first million of confirmed cases by December.
What does this mean for Californians?
1. Many parts of our economy will remain close. recovery will be harder and longer.
2. More people will loose their jobs. Unemployment will rise. People in hardship with no resources to help them will loose their homes or place of dwelling. Low and middle income Americans will suffer the effects of Recession.
3. Crimes will go up.
4. Our students can not return to school for classroom learning. Students with no high speed internet and other school resources will lag behind making equal education for all more of a dream than reality. Parents will struggle on finances because of day-care expenses or from cutting work hours or from quitting their jobs so they can assist their young children with online schooling.
5. More people will die or develop lingering complications. Bad recovery outcome leads to disability. Disability leads to forced unemployment and suffering. Someone will loose a grandparent, a parent, a spouse or partner, a son, a daughter, a friend until a truly effective vaccine is made. We will loose more healthcare workers and essentials as they are three times more vulnerable than the general healthy population.
6. Mental health problems like anxiety, depression, even suicide will go up.
7. More chaos. More civil unrest. People will be angry, frustrated, vengeful. People will get hurt. Division will escalate.
8. Another Lockdown though economically devastating, may be the last desperate action to stop more deaths and flatten the infection curve. We’re already on a semi-lockdown with some of our businesses forced to close or severely restricted.
Today, U.S. surpass 172,000 COVID-19 deaths and exceeds 5.5 million declared positive cases. This does not include the false negatives and the untested asymptomatic population.
We went to the mall this week to fix my son’s glasses. Main entrances are closed and people can go in only by appointments . Curb site orders are allowed for the few stores that stayed opened. Restaurants are take outs and outdoor dining. I hardly saw anyone eating. It was 104F degrees hot. A lady picked us up by the side door at the first floor and accompanied us to their store at the second floor. I asked her how they are doing and she replied, “We’re okay. We just have to do a lot of walking all day long.” The store hallways were empty and quiet. It’s been like this since the mall closed after 10 days of reopening. It will be like this till we have our act together.
If you still think COVID-19 is not serious, look around you. See what it has done to your community. See the pain of those who lost their jobs and love ones. See through the eyes of those afraid that they might be next.
Related Links;
With 367 wildfires raging, Cal Fire to all residents of California: ‘Be ready to go’
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“This is exactly what we’ve been warning about”: Why some school reopenings have backfired
Seven months later, what we know about Covid-19 — and the pressing questions
Six Key Takeaways From Pandemic Data on American Households
California in grip of extreme weather: Broiling heat, fire tornadoes, lightning, blackouts
Dying Young: The Health Care Workers in Their 20s Killed by COVID-19
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Wild weather in Bay Area brings lightning, thunderstorms, gusty winds and spot fires
NYC Restaurant Workers Pushed to Food Pantries and Homelessness While Jobs Remain Scarce
School reopenings tested as U.S. breaks August record for new coronavirus cases
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With COVID Vaccine Trial, Rural Oregon Clinic Steps Onto World Stage
This Man's Journey 
Just a few weeks ago we had 0 COVID cases and now they’ve gone up to well over 300! Ireland is facing a ‘tsunami’ of mental health problems and health experts warn of an increase in suicide and self-harm due to coronavirus. It has been a tough time for everyone and the pandemic has brought existing inequalities into sharp focus – and could make them worse.
Around the world, countless people are struggling to make it through the day. That has always been true, and it remains true now; this virus is categorically not affecting all people equally. The most vulnerable are those living in poverty and those forced to leave their homes because of conflict, disaster or the lack of decent work locally.
We are all eager to see and feel signs of environmental recovery and we need to act accordingly. We need to change our relationship to food production, support dignified work conditions and entrepreneurship and leave no one behind. We have to keep going!
Take care! Aiva xxx
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Thanks Aiva. Everything you wrote here is true and emergent. It’s happening in America as well.
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I hope you guys are doing Ok 🙂 sending you lots of virtual hugs
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Some days are better , but yes, doing ok. Thanks
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Yes and your home is a beautiful place. The world is a beautiful place. My heart is divided in three main places. Australia where I have lived after falling in love with a young Australian man as a mere twenty year old. Denmark where I grew up and where my family still lives. And now California where my youngest daughter has married and settled. She obviously has her mother’s genes :-).
We will all get through this and hopefully learn along the way.
Keep well.
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Thank you. Same here , home is now where a see & feel beauty and love. I grew up in the Philippines, but move to California in 2003, the Texas, then back to Cali. Before that, been living in different places , like in a paradise called Boracay. I guess, some people are meant to have many homes in their hearts. Thank you.
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Oh wow. Boracay looks like it would have been an amazing place to live. Paradise.
Had to google it. Seems not so nice now. Closed while restoring. Lets hope that and maybe the slowing tourism can bring some of the beauty back.
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It was a paradise but I had a dream I needed to follow, sometimes it makes me wonder, “what if I stayed.” Can’t go against fate though. Things happen for a reason. I’m grateful. May be when I retire , I can go back to Boracay. Then I’ll invite all my blogger friends to visit & have a piece of paradise. Thanks.
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Retiring on a paradise island. Like the sound of that 🙂
Yes, we all have to follow our dreams and no point wondering about ‘what ifs’. Life takes us exactly where we are meant to be at any one point in our lives.
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Thank you.
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Being from CA, Orange County to be specific, the anxiety has been high for my family and I. With the fires, 3 younger sisters struggling with wifi & food at home, and an immune-compromised mom, it has been a tough time. I also lost my job and have not been able to get a new one due to the pandemic. Additionally, my landlord has threatened us with eviction unless we get rid of our cats (there’s two, my sisters and one is mine). All we can do is hang in there and hope for the best. Thank you so much for sharing your post. Sometimes it better to know all the bad and brace yourself than be sheltered from what is going on. Stay Safe!
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So sorry to hear that. I hope and pray things will get better for you soon and everyone who lost jobs and love ones. Anger, anxiety and frustrations are high because of the recklessness and indifference of both citizens and leaders. The rich and the powerful can afford to do whatever they want, while us and all the low and middle income Americans have to suffer it all. No bailouts for the majority regular Americans but definitely a buffet feast for the capitalist rich and politicians who are taking advantage of this pandemic. They are investing our hard earned tax payers money on stock investment in case people don’t notice it yet. Asone news article said, “ Recession for the rich is already over because they already made more money than ever before.” Stay safe and stay strong my friend. We are all in this together.
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Agreed on everything you said. Thank you so much! I’ll keep holding on and hopefully this year will get better if not I’m looking forward to a better next year! 🙌💕
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Yes, we just make the most of this year, & do our best . Take care.
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Tried to leave a comment on your posts but keeps saying error. Thanks again for the feedback.
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Thank for letting me know! I will look into it not sure why it said that 😅
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Thanks
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Its devastating to watch the news about the Californian fires. Been in daily contact with my daughter in Napa. Times like these I wish my family was back here all together under the one roof.
Stay safe my friend.
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2020 seems to be a bad year for many Californians , but this is home , & I know we all will make it through this. Wishing you , your daughter & family safety and blessings always.
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May Allah bless all human being.
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That’s is a beautiful prayer. Thanks
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You found an open space. Hope the numbers succumbing reduce very soon
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It was taken last month. Today, woke with news of wildfires in nearby mountains. The sky mirrors fire and smoke, polluted air warnings from our county , people near the fires are mandatory evacuation. I’m lucky to have electricity last night & today but the streets driving home last night was in total darkness, including stop signs while the heat wave still in full blast . To be at work with AC is a relief. It makes me feel grateful for what I have but also feels sad for those who are not as lucky. And yes, the COVID-19 is still very much alive in my city. Thanks for the feedback and support.
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People are getting complacent here too and Covid cases are increasing after going down for 6 weeks. Nobody has enough patience or stamina to do the right thing anymore. Pity. We can only encourage people to do the right thing, we can not force the. In the meantime, we take steps to keep ourselves safe.
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Thanks for sharing of what’s going on in your community. It is I think what’s going everywhere. I admire those who still are fighting the great fight for humanity and survival. For those who already gave up, we can only hope & pray they will wake up again and have the courage to re-try. COVID19 is a virus created to withstand climate and politics , knows no season nor reason, fears no one. It’s the perfect silent, invincible apocalyptic weapon to wipe out as much of humanity . My son calls it, “Population Control,” something he saw in You Tube. Just because we don’t see an explosion, doesn’t mean an atomic like bomb hasn’t exploded. The effects of COVID-19 explosion is already everywhere , and anyone. No place is really safe, so we do what needs to be done & stay safe with the scientific guidelines. The rest is up to God really. Stay safe my friend.
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We refer to it as “The Thinning of the Herd.” People have the right to make choices, if those choices only affect them. Cheers
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If only it affects them, unfortunately, its affects everyone around them. Thanks . Great feedback . 🙏
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Most times, people say “you’ll be okay” quickly, because they are unwilling to listen to the sorrows of their fellows. Sadly, it’s to be expected. Compassion isn’t regarded highly in this world.
Quite thought-provoking, this article.
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I here that a lot now , especially at work where people are in direct contact with COVID19 infection. Our bosses and CEO’s keep giving empty and non-sincere assurance. They are not even aware they are doing the opposite of what they hoping to accomplish. They can’t say “you’re okay,” “don’t worry, you’re fine,” without knowing what’s boiling inside a person and trying to really listen and make life better , safer, kinder. Politics, Nepotism and superficialities are not just in the government, it’s also in our work places. People who care and work hard gets abused while those who are lazy and make everyone miserable gets a “you can getaway card,” every time. So, no wonder many are experiencing anxiety , anger, sadness & frustration. Injustice, discrimination, insensitiveness and indifference are also a form of disease and infection. Thank God for the blogging world because it seems like it’s the only safe place nowadays to you can still freely express yourself and people will be accepting, non-judgmental, caring. Thanks.
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Yeah, and sadly it’s a human thing, the nepotism and insensitivity. God help us all.
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Yes, God help us …please🙏 Take care.
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Good one my friend. Things aren’t too good in my city Pune, India too.
Stay safe. Stay strong
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When I look at the COVID-19 numbers globally , I see people whose lives were cut short or world turned upside down. People have no jobs. People are miserable. For others, not caring that they part of why this pandemic is spreading , just unbelievable. Humanity always have its Yin and Yang. Whichever tips the balance, that would be our present & future outcome. Thanks . Stay safe & strong too.
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Absolutely 😊👍🏾
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🙏
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What do the numbers mean?
Simple!
People are stubborn and lack self-discipline.
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Yep, & everyone eventually will pay the price. For now it’s the poor and middle income who are suffering.
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I am very sorry that on top of the pandemic you also have to deal with blackout issues and a summer heatwave. Hang in there and take good care!
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Thanks Ab. I actually left work last night with our air smelling smoke. This morning , the sky is orange & certain parts of my county and nearby ones are told to evacuate. It’s scary and uncertain but Life goes on. For now , we just keep trying, praying and help those we can. I appreciate the support. Thanks.
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Oh no, what happened?! Forest fire? Please take good and stay safe!!!
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Fire started yesterday from wine county to the peninsulas. It’s too hot , the dry grass more like went spontaneous combustion. The heat wave also made people use more electricity which PG & E is not prepared to provide so certain places have no electricity. If we open our window , the air is of unhealthy smoke , if we close it, it gets warm. It’s a crazy day. For now, getting ready for work. Thanks for always caring , I appreciate it. 🙏
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