Remember April 2020

If you are on Facebook, you’ve probably seen someone post something like the entry I’m going to include here. People are realizing that they should document these unusual times and then when they are reminded about them on future anniversaries of this date, they will be able to feel grateful for where they are at. Sound at all like a roundup? I’ve been a fan of this idea since 2006! I’m happy to see the emphasis on recording these memories and even finding some gratitude for the challenges we are facing.

Feel free to copy and paste this to your own Facebook feed or blog post or journal page. It is written from the perspective of someone in the United States so you will want to change some of the details if you live outside of America.

Today is Wednesday, April 29, 2020.

- We are (at average) at 43 days of social isolation. In the US alone, there are just under 1 million confirmed covid19 cases with 55,000+ deaths as of this morning.

- Schools have been closed since March 17th and are teaching remotely on-line. Schools will not reopen for the 2019-2020 school year. 

- Only “essential” retail stores are open such as grocery stores, hardware stores, and pharmacies. Amazon delivery windows average 3 - 4 weeks when they used to be max. 2 days. No gyms are open, and it’s almost impossible to find weights, exercise equipment, bikes, etc. 

- All extracurricular/ volunteer/business meetings and other gatherings are now on virtual meeting platforms i.e.(Zoom, House Party,  Go to Meeting, Whatsapp, Webex, Google Duo) the list goes on. Hang in there, life will continue, and eventually, all together, we will get to a new normal!

- There are lines / tape inside the stores on the floors to keep people 6 feet apart.

- Bars and restaurants are open only for takeout, home delivery & drive through.

- Playgrounds and sports fields are closed. Most beaches, parks, and cemeteries are closed to the public.

- No visitors are allowed in hospitals.

- All major and minor league sports competitions have been canceled as well as kids' sports. The NFL draft was done virtually this week.

- All festivals and entertainment events have been banned.

- Weddings, family celebrations, and graduations have been canceled. Funerals limited to 10 people graveside.

- People are doing drive-by parades to celebrate birthdays.

- Young kids can’t understand why they can only see grandparents & other extended family and friends on a screen or through a window if someone visits in person or on Facetime online.

-Visitors are prohibited at nursing homes and assisted living residences.

- Places of worship are closed or online.

- We have to stay away from each other more than six feet.

- Shortage of disposable masks and gloves in hospitals.

- People are wearing masks, some places REQUIRE that you wear them to enter! People are even sewing their own cloth masks for sale or donation to medical facilities.

- Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, bleach, antibacterial wipes, and anything Lysol or Clorox is in short supply and limited per person.... IF you can even find them! (This goes the same for flour and yeast).

- Stores are closing early to disinfect everything. (24 hour stores are even closing by 6,8 or 9 pm)

- Store checkouts, pharmacies and even fast food drive-thru windows have added plexiglass between the employee and the customer. Have to reach around or under to pay!

- You can't find isopropyl alcohol easily. .. the supply per person is limited.

- Australia, the USA, Canada, and Europe have closed their borders.

- Western Australia has been divided into 9 territories & an instant $1,500 fine issued for crossing the border without a valid reason. (Transport workers, Essential services etc)

- No one is traveling for leisure. Airports empty. Tourism has the worst crisis in history.

- Wi-Fi and cell phone providers have extended their limits to provide a connection to the Internet for people to continue to work from home and for students to learn from their teachers.

- Many public pool access, concerts, and summer activities will not be allowed/take place. 

- We don't know if baseball seasons will start, hockey season will continue/end or any summer camps, etc. will run. Lots of teen/college summer jobs are up in the air.

-Colleges have not made definite decisions about whether to take their classes online, in person, or open at all for the fall.

-K-12 has ended their school year and plans to open for the fall have so many unknowns, social distancing, new guidelines for keeping everyone safe. How will it be scheduled? Can sports and activities continue as they have?

- Society appears to be divided about whether or not we should continue to isolate or open back up and get the economy going. It's an election year and politics are messy and complicating this issue.

Why do I post this?

Next year & then every year after, this status will appear in my Facebook memories feed. And it will be an annual reminder that life is precious & that nothing should be taken for granted. We are where we are with what we have. Let's be grateful.

This text is not mine, but I copied it because I want to remember it, too.