Monday, 3/23/2020
Johns Hopkins dashboard: 350,563, about 10% in two days. Oh, and I’m watching a video about the virus made on 3/15, when they mention 153,517 cases. So from 3/15 to Saturday 3/21, the case count doubled. Exponential with a doubling time of 6+ days.
Of course “cases” mean people who have been tested positive. But that’s only a very approximate measure of actual infections. In the U.S. testing will be increasingly available in coming days which will accelerate the count here. But it is widely assumed that sub-Saharan African countries aren’t doing adequate, or any, testing, so likely there are many unknown cases there. But by this COVID calculator, Palo Alto alone will see 5000-8000 hospitalizations and 400-800 deaths.
Went for a run, felt fine. Then sat down to catch up with the internet and email and between them, it is almost noon! I’ve corresponded with several people and read a ton of interesting stuff, and still have the one-hour video that was strongly recommended to me waiting to play.
Quarantine, it’s a rich full life.
At 5pm I was invited to a virtual “cocktail party” on Zoom, by Betty and Jerry. Six of us, including Craig and Diane, plus Gwen and Mary. I was the only one who brought a glass of wine. Conversation was mostly about the virus, including a ridiculous, bone-headed column by Friedman in the NYT.
However in the midst of the party I checked my email and there was a Channing House announcement: starting Wednesday, the present system of take-out meals will be dropped in favor of meal delivery to each room. After all the work staff went through to set up and run the current system, I’m surprised. And disappointed, because there’ll be no more choices to make; the menu will be fixed.
