Coronavirus Diary Day 52: May 3, 2020

2020 Now Includes Aliens and Murder Hornets

Just like that, it’s May. If you had any quarantine goals, here’s another chance to accomplish them. Get on with it, my friends.

It’s been a minute since I last reported numbers, so here we go:

Worldwide Confirmed Cases / Deaths:

3,546,758 / 247,312

USA Confirmed Cases/Deaths:

1,179,454 / 68,179

18,752 people have died in New York City due to COVID-19.

727 have died in Philadelphia, with 973 patients currently in city hospitals. Chester County, PA (where I live) is reporting 1,547 confirmed cases and 117 deaths.

Technically, we’re still on lockdown, but the world is opening up again, little by little. Fears seem to be easing as we flatten the curve, and with summer weather approaching, people are itching to get out and about.

The Hubs, the dog, and I have been taking advantage of nicer days by exploring new hiking destinations within an hour from home. Others seem to be doing the same. We choose places where we know we can maintain our social distance, and I haven’t felt at risk.

One of our children came to visit us yesterday. We even let him into the house.

In far less responsible moves, people are congregating in large groups to protest the lockdowns. These protests range from organized events in front of state capitol buildings to all-night block parties featuring music, twerking, and fist fights. I’m not making that up. You might recall me reporting back in March that Philadelphia was temporarily suspending arrests for non-violent offenses including burglary and theft. Well, they’ve now reinstated the arrests, so see what you did there, protesters. Now the people of Kensington need to use their own money at the open air market, instead of smashing and grabbing loose change from parked cars. They can’t be too happy about that.

Anyways, the way we talk about it all the time, you might think Coronavirus is the biggest disaster of the year. But, alas! We have aliens now, and also murder hornets. After we develop a vaccine, I say we use both the aliens and the murder hornets to deliver it around the world.