03/28/2020
CovidHell - Day 14
They say you’re supposed to journal when you are on an adventure, seeing new places, enjoying exotic experiences, living outside your comfort zone, trying new things. You should journal when life as you know it is different from life as it usually is. When your daily routine has altered, when it’s become a life that you’re not used to. When it has become a drastically different life.
And so now that Covid19 has suddenly transformed life into a dystopian nightmare, and the media reports daily worldwide death totals in the thousands, and the markets are falling to record lows, and the Pope is praying for “fragile humanity,” I think this is a perfect time to begin a journal.
But first, the rules:
Wash your hands. Your hands may have the virus.
Wash your hands with regular soap, like a surgeon.
Wash your hands for 20 seconds.
Rinse your hands.
Don’t touch the metal doorknob, the wooden shelf, the ceramic toilet tank, or any
surface.
Surfaces may have the virus.
And don’t touch your face!
Isolate, self-isolate.
Don’t congregate, don’t party.
Social distance yourself, physical distance yourself
Be social, reach out, but not really, only virtually.
Go outside, but don’t touch metal, plastic, your mouth, your eyes.
Definitely don’t touch your nose.
Be in the fresh air, get some exercise.
But don’t go to a playground or a trail. They are closed.
They may have the virus.
Walk but not near anyone.
Keep 1 or 2 metres away from everyone.
Everyone may have the virus.
You may have the virus.
Don’t touch friendly dogs. Don’t touch any dogs.
They may touch you, but don’t touch them.
You may have the virus.
Don’t breathe on anyone. Droplets of virus may fall on them.
Droplets may have the virus.
So hold your breath.
Wear a mask, or don’t.
Cough and sneeze into your elbow.
Blow your nose into a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
The tissue may have the virus.
But don’t touch your face!
Wash your hands.
Or use hand sanitizer.
Wear gloves, or don’t.
Shop, but keep a metre or two away from everyone.
Sanitize the shopping cart handle!
It may have the virus.
Stay 1 or 2 metres away from all shoppers, all staff.
They may have the virus.
Use your card to pay, don’t use cash.
Cash may have the virus.
Wash everything you bought that you need in the fridge.
Everything you bought may have the virus.
Leave all other groceries in the bag, at the door.
Or bring it into the house, but don’t unpack it.
Wait 3 days, then wash everything for 20 seconds. And rinse.
Or sanitize everything.
Wash the shopping bags, or sanitize them.
They may have the virus.
Arrive home and strip down.
Don’t touch your face!
Don’t touch your hair!
Take off your clothes but don’t shake them.
Your clothes may have the virus.
Your hair may have the virus.
Shower.
Your skin and hair may have the virus.
Wash your clothes, shoes, phone, keys, accessories.
They may have the virus.
If you feel feverish and can’t stop coughing, you may have it. Or not.
But don’t go to a hospital.
Hospitals are busy.
Hospitals have the virus.
You can get tested in a hospital, or not.
Stay home, they will say.
Stay home, but away from others at home.
If it’s really hard to breathe, go to a hospital.
But call first!
The virus wants to be in your nose, in your lungs, to multiply, invade them, destroy them.
Then you. You may be next. Or not.
Wash your hands.
Wash your hands.
Wash your hands.
Curse.
Pray.
Repeat.
