April 16
We woke up to another mass shooting - the 45th one this month! Eight people were killed at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. Yesterday we heard about yet another victim of a police shooting. A 13 year old Latino boy who had responded to police commands and was not a threat! When will this carnage end?
Globally, the mood is also despondent. Covid numbers are at their highest level worldwide despite vaccination efforts. India now reports over 200,000 new daily cases, triggered by a mega Hindu festival and driven by new worrisome variants. Brazil continues to see around 80,000 new daily infections. Much of the world experiencing vaccine shortages and challenges.
It's a weird reversal to now be in the more advantageous position. A quarter of adult Americans are fully vaccinated. In California half the adult population has had at least one vaccine shot. The road ahead, however, is by no means smooth. The nation's daily new cases hovers at just below 80,000. Michigan's crisis isn't letting up. But California's progress is a thrill. Our region will move to a less restrictive tier next week. Various organizations have started preparing for summer re-openings. Concerts at the Hollywood Bowl will be performed all summer.
April 20, 2021
On April 19, 2021, I received my second Pfizer dose at the DeWees Community Center in Lompoc where a mass vaccination clinic was set up. It was a smooth process, well-organized and efficient. How lucky I am to live in a wealthy part of the world and have access to inoculation just 4 months after vaccines débuted! It was lunchtime so Daryl (who dutifully accompanied me) and I drove out to Industrial Eats in Buellton for wood-fired flatbread to celebrate.
Four hours after my jab I began to feel drowsy. Then my head began to pound. I lay in bed, listening to NPR. I started to feel woozy, as if I'd just been on a rollercoaster ride. Daryl could hear me moaning. He dashed over to CVS down Fairview Avenue for Tylenol. I didn't take any. My headache vanished after an hour. I developed a low grade fever and felt drained of energy. Four hours later, the bothersome symptoms dissipated. I was hungry, but could only tolerate something bland. Smashed avocado on a slice of toasted sourdough did the trick. By the time I brushed my teeth and turned in for the night I felt more or less normal again. I'm so glad I was prepared for possible side effects. My 4 hours of discomfort didn't worry me in the least. The vaccine was doing its job of revving up my immune system.
Our relatives in the UK are excited for a loosening of restrictions after months of strict lockdown. New daily cases there now just under 3000 and daily deaths below 50. I was thrilled to see that South Africa has dropped to 20th position of total cases on Worldometers. Their daily infections rose a tad, attributed to Easter activities, but in general, they are maintaining a low infection rate. Thank goodness! My nephews, Cayden and Shrayen, love being able to go to school. Now they are impatient for normal interactions with their friends. Still a long road for them, and one with bumps, I'm sure. In a month or two, as winter approaches, they may not be able to avoid a third wave. Vaccination efforts are moving along. Their senior population has been invited to register online for appointments which will start in May.
Other big news: The Derek Chauvin trial has dominated the headlines in the past 2 weeks. This was the cop who knelt on George Floyd's neck for 9 minutes last May. Witnesses for the prosecution were emotional and authentic. A guilty verdict on all murder charges, much to the relief of many of us, was announced early this afternoon.
Major accomplishment: A helicopter took off on Mars, flew a short distance and landed successfully. Another NASA triumph!
April 23
Day 4 since my 2nd vaccine shot. As my body builds antibodies I've been dreaming about how my life will change soon. When I return to the gym and dine at restaurants, the world around me will approach normal. California now has the lowest infection rate in the entire country. Even better news, this week's Covid numbers show a nationwide decline in infection rates. Michigan appears to be past its peak. Phew! What makes us nervous now is a decline in the rate of vaccination. Supply has exceeded demand nationwide. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is available again. The small number of adverse reactions have been analyzed carefully to figure out better treatments. Hey, people, let's do it! Go get your shot!
Outside the USA, the picture is bleak. The situation in India is horrendous. New daily infections at record breaking highs - past 300,000. Hospitals overflowing, oxygen shortages, the healthcare system unable to cope.
April 26
On Sunday, April 25, I went inside another person's house for the first time in 13 months. Premi and Sri hosted Sunday afternoon tea for a group of 7 fully vaccinated close friends. How sweet it felt to sit around the same table and engage in convivial chitchat with people we care about and whose company we relish. We stuffed ourselves with exquisite samosas, fenugreek dokla (an Indian savory bread), scones with cream and jam, homemade cheesecake, homemade baklava, and moist lemon cake (my contribution). Chai tea for the caffeine drinkers and herbal teas for the rest of us kept us hydrated. We hadn't seen Rayann and Marlene for close to two years. Much had happened in that time. Many challenges navigated. It was great to see Monica from the Bay Area again. Conversation was understandably robust.
Many parts of the world can only dream of the state we find ourselves in in California. Currently, India is in a crisis. For 5 consecutive days they broke the global record of new daily cases. But the 350,000 reported numbers are an undercount due to inadequate testing. Heartwrenching reports of oxygen shortages, overwhelmed hospitals, and awful deaths point to a situation worse than anywhere else in the world at any time in the pandemic. Immensely relieved to hear that the USA and the EU are stepping in to help. Other countries are lending their support too.
April 30
President Biden addressed congress a day before his 100th day in office on April 28. In a speech equivalent to the State of the Union he described his accomplishments, mainly the heartily welcome pandemic progress, and outlined a bold, ambitious vision for the future. His focus is on the economy, climate change, immigration, infrastructure, Russia and China. Media pundits have compared Biden's aspirations to Lyndon Johnson. The left, for now, is unified in their approval of Biden. We're in good hands for now and that feels tremendous.
As April comes to an end, the Covid picture is mixed. New infections in the USA are dropping. How good it feels to see the trend lines. Daily deaths below a 1000. Michigan now out of its nightmare. Parts of the country are seeing surges, but overall it looks like we're heading toward the exit. On April 27, the CDC loosened mask requirements for the outdoors. For vaccinated people masks aren't necessary unless it's a crowded setting. I noticed masks instantly ditched at the parks and by the beaches.
Now that vaccines are available everywhere at any time in this country it'll be interesting to watch the progress. We have a long way to go. A third of the country is fully vaccinated. The sooner the skeptics trust the science, the sooner we'll reach that light at the end of the tunnel.
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