Hard Times with Hope on the Horizon (Pandemic Part XV)

Last Thursday, the virus took Don's mom, Ardella. She was one of nearly 2,900 Americans who died of COVID-19 on that day alone. She was diagnosed just two days earlier.

Dell was a loving, outgoing woman whose grandchildren called her "Sweetheart Grandma." She made friends everywhere she went, including the new assisted living facility she had just moved into. She was looking forward to a fresh start.

We are blessed that she went quickly and didn't die alone, as many have. Dale, Pattie, and Rachel were with her when she passed. But we will never know how long she would have been with us if the virus hadn't struck.

Our family is now one of nearly 300,000 across the country that have lost a loved one to COVID. Millions of people whose lives will never be the same. And it didn't have to be this way.

Mon., Nov. 16

• Moderna announced their messenger-RNA vaccine was shown 95% effective in trials. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 30 days and frozen at -20 degrees Celsius for six months. It also seemed to reduce the severity of the illness in those patients who contracted the virus. It was developed under the federal government's Operation Warp Speed.

Tues., Nov. 17

• Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, president pro tempore of the Senate and third in line to the presidency, was diagnosed with the virus.
• With the return of cold weather, the antler mount behind the woodstove makes a convenient place to dry masks.

Wed., Nov. 18

• 40% of Americans planned to gather for Thanksgiving despite pleas not to.
• The U.S. hit 250,000 deaths.
• The FDA approved the first rapid, at-home test.
• New York City shut down their schools.

Thurs., Nov. 19

• The CDC recommended that people not travel for Thanksgiving.
• The Minnesota governor banned gathering between households.
• Driven largely by a steep drop in air and automobile travel, the nine percent reduction in 2020 emissions projected by a private research organization would put the nation back on track to meet its commitments under the Paris climate accord, though President Trump has pulled out of the agreement.
• Don found out what's causing the pandemic root beer shortage: There's a shortage of aluminum, so companies are practicing soda triage, canning only the most popular.
• There were 189,000 new daily cases in the U.S.; 2,000 people died.

Fri., Nov. 20

• Donald Trump, Jr., and Florida Governor Rick Scott were diagnosed with the virus.
• There were nearly 200,000 daily new cases.
• UWA model predicted 470,000 Americans dead by March; 658,000 if states don't clamp down.

Sat., Nov. 21

• The U.S. hit 12 million cases.
• Despite the CDC's plea for people not to travel for Thanksgiving, a million people passed through the nation's airports.
• The seven-day average of daily cases was 170,000.
• The FDA on Saturday authorized Regeneron’s experimental antibody treatment, which was used to treat President Trump when he was ill with COVID-19.

Sun., Nov. 22

• During their virtual conference this weekend, Chinese President Xi Jin Ping and other leaders from the Group of 20 nations urged global cooperation to ensure poorer nations have access to vaccines. Trump made no commitments.

Mon., Nov. 23

• AstraZeneca announced its vaccine is up to 90% effective, depending on regimen. The vaccine uses a harmless cold virus that typically infects chimpanzees to deliver to the body’s cells the genetic code of the spike protein that dots the outside of the coronavirus. That teaches the body’s immune system to block the real virus. It doesn't have to be frozen, the way Pfizer's and Moderna's do.

Tues., Nov. 24

• 88,000 Americans were hospitalized with COVID-19.

Wed., Nov. 25

• In his Thanksgiving message, Trump told people to gather.
• 90,000 Americans were hospitalized; there were 2,000 deaths. 
• There are some questions about AstraZeneca's vaccine. 
• Don talked to Dell, and she was hoarse.

Thurs., Nov. 26

• Dell went Dale and Pattie's for Thanksgiving; Mom stayed home, so it was just we three.

Fri., Nov. 27

• The U.S. hit 13 million cases.
• Dell moved to a new facility and was tested for COVID.
• George and Mom had Thanksgiving dinner at Mom's.

Sun., Nov. 29

• At least 93,000 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S., and hospitals were in danger of buckling.

Mon., Nov. 30

• Moderna said its vaccine is 94% effective.
• Scott Atlas, controversial White House doctor who promoted fringe theories, left.

Tues., Dec. 1

• Results from a Northeastern University survey: women wore masks more than men, Blacks/Asians more than whites, Democrats more than Republicans, college-educated more than not.
• The CDC vaccine advisory committee met to make recommendations for distribution of first, limited doses of vaccine. 
• Phase 1a:
• Frontline medical
• Nursing home residents
• Phase 1b will be decided later, but will likely be:
• Essential workers
• People at high risk medically
• Over 65
• An American died from COVID every minute.
• Dell was diagnosed with COVID.

Wed., Dec. 2

• 2,600 deaths; 200,000 new cases; 100,000 hospitalized
• The CDC changed the guidelines for quarantining after exposure to 10 days instead of 14, hoping people can at least do that.
• The CDC director said winter will be the most difficult time in American health history.
• Britain became the first country to authorize a vaccine (Pfizer's).
• Massachusetts hit a daily record for cases: 4,600. There had been 10,588 deaths in the state. 
• 3,100 deaths nationwide -- a new record. 274,000 deaths total

Thurs., Dec. 3

• The U.S. hit 14 million cases; 217,000 new daily cases; more than 100,000 were hospitalized, a new record; 2,879 died.
• Dell went to the hospital in the morning, due to low blood oxygen levels (60%). She died a little before 8 p.m. CT.
• Biden announced he will call for 100 days of mask-wearing right after inauguration.
• A scene of the times: I participated in a work meeting outside a coffee shop at the Keystone Building in Easthampton while waiting for Abby to be groomed.

Fri., Dec. 4

• States placed pre-orders for Pfizer vaccine. Massachusetts was expecting 300,000 doses by the end of year.
• Congress couldn't agree on another relief package.
• The UWA model predicted 539,000 deaths by April.
• COVID was the leading cause of death in U.S. this week.
• For the first time, the CDC urged universal use of face masks indoors when not at home.

Sat., Dec. 5

• There were one million new cases in the U.S. in the first five days of December.

Sun., Dec. 6

• Massachusetts opened a field hospital in Worcester.
• Rudy Giuliani, who'd been traveling the country for weeks since the election trying to change the results to a Trump win, was diagnosed with the virus.

Mon., Dec. 7

• U.S. hit a new record for hospitalizations: 102,148.

Tues., Dec. 8

• The United Kingdom started vaccinating citizens with the Pfizer vaccine.
• The U.S. hit 15 million cases and 286,000 deaths.

I guess this is as good a place as any to stop for now. Things are only going to get worse. Cases linked to Thanksgiving are still appearing, and no doubt people will travel and gather again at Christmas, causing another surge in the new year. There seems to be no way to get through to a large portion of American society.

I'm putting my hope in President-Elect Joe Biden to take charge and turn things around on January 20. With some direction from the top and the vaccine, perhaps we can get the virus under control.