Election Time During Covid

 November 2

On this day before the most critical election of our lifetime we can't allow ourselves to feel optimistic. Even if the polls are right and things go well for a Biden victory at the outset we are terrified of consequences. Cities all over the nation are preparing for unrest. Stores are boarding up with plywood. Both sides are volatile and fiercely desire victory. This is what it must feel like in chronically corrupt developing countries. The majority of Americans long to wake up from our four year nightmare. Now election day may mark the beginning of a new nightmare. Maybe it will all go well. Biden will win by a landslide and Trump will give his concession speech and we can then breathe and pop open the champagne.

November 3

Election day. We're all on edge, waiting for the results. Media warning us it may be days or weeks before we know the result. I think I can handle that. Much prefer every state carefully counting the ballots to a rushed affair and chaotic consequences. So far it appears there's calm around the nation. No reports of unrest yet.

It's a sunny day, mild temps, with signs of fall everywhere.

At 4:00 I'll meet up with my book group to discuss Alta California, a travel narrative of our state with historical context layered into the current account.

November 4

In 2016 Huffpost headlined with "Mourning in America" the day after the most disastrous presidential elections in US history. We've been in mourning ever since, willing time to speed up, desperate to live in a Trump-less future. Four years later, instead of a sweeping landslide to fire the most disastrous president, the race turned out to be scarily close. It speaks volumes about this nation.

Today we're still on pins and needles. When the results started coming in last night we were alarmed at the red electoral band across the country. All solidly Republican states remained loyal to Trump. After an awful night's sleep, tossing and turning, a sickness sloshing in my tummy, we awoke to hopeful news. Mara Liasson, national political correspondent on NPR, stated there's a clear path to victory for Biden. From the current state of things I'm worried that it could go either way though the NYT and CNN are predicting a Biden win. At the moment Trump is ahead in Pennsylvania, but as absentee ballots are counted Biden is closing the gap. It could take days for PA to finish up its count. If Biden wins this state it's one path to victory. Another path would be clinching AZ, MI and WI. Trouble is WI is showing a tight margin and Trump is already making noises for a recount.

We could be in this limbo state for days.

November 5

Starting the day with a headline like this helps cope with the tension that hovers over us. The whole world is holding its breath. Five significant, battleground states are still counting ballots and the difference in every case is razor thin. Arizona has been called for Biden by some news outlets, but ballots there are still being counted. Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are hard at work. Every news outlet projects a certainty of a Biden win. Doesn't help my anxious state of mind though. If Pennsylvania finishes its count today and Biden wins it, we'll crack open the champagne.

Yesterday's NYT columnists, in their post mortems of the tight race, shared my disbelief. This election was no repudiation of four disastrous years. How do you explain why half this nation can't be bothered by what we endured? In the middle of a historic pandemic that is outrageously mishandled! Who are these people? They care about their own wallets, their guns and their desire to rob women of their freedom to choose abortion. Nothing else matters to these idiots. The scary realization is that had it not been for the pandemic, the economy would likely have held steady and Trump would have been re-elected. It's beyond shocking.

Another topic dissected everywhere was the polls. Why were they so far off reality? They suggested a landslide and wider margins in battleground states. Didn't happen. Even congressional races didn't go especially well for democrats. The Senate is always elusive - more red states than blue ensures that - but when a Democrat is favored in a presidential race, the democrats are able to wrangle a slim majority. Not this year. We are saddled with Mitch McConnell again! Worse, Biden's agenda will be crippled and in the midterms his inability to deliver will be used against him. The electorate isn't astute enough to see through this deception. Republicans will dominate Congress and so the pattern will repeat.

Meanwhile the USA recorded 108,000 new Covid infections yesterday. The experts are warning us that the pandemic is about to enter its darkest phase. Dr. Fauci's pleas for safety measures to bring the numbers down before winter fell on deaf ears. People everywhere in the world have reached saturation point. They resist the advice of experts, but if the central government supports the experts it's a huge help. Governors struggle on and in our state Governor Newsom's strict measures have made him unpopular. Our state is doing better than most of the country. This week the trend line is creeping up again.

A Biden win will help us get through the remainder of the pandemic. Sanity at the federal level will keep our dopamine levels up.

November 6

Still holding my breath. Progress on ballot counting in the last 5 battleground states going at glacial speed. More good news to start the day. Biden is now ahead in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Nevada appears solid. Arizona tenuous - gap narrowing. So hard to focus on anything else. Though every media outlet conveys a Biden victory the race is too tight for comfort. The best outcome right now would be a decisive win in Pennsylvania and if that happens before the day is over we'll be celebrating.

Trump sank to new lows at a White House press conference, disgorging wild claims of voter fraud and generally condemning the country's election integrity. TV networks, appalled at this attack on our democracy, walked away in the middle of the rant. Trump is pursuing several lawsuits, making demands to stop counting votes, and claiming fraudulent activity at polling places.

The Covid situation would've been the main news. The USA recorded over 118,00 new cases yesterday, and about 1300 deaths. France recorded over 50,000 new infections. In California and in our county new case numbers went up yesterday. There's frustration in the state that theme parks are closed as well as entertainment venues. Counties aren't progressing sufficiently to move to tiers allowing fewer restrictions. People don't want to follow safety guidelines.

November 7

We heard the ecstatic result at 9:30 this morning when we returned from our morning beach walk. Though media outlets conveyed confidence of a Biden victory in the past days it was a tremendous relief when Pennsylvania came through for him. Phew! Our four year nightmare coming to an end. Undoing the damage is going to be a monstrous task but for now we are savoring the moment. A historic moment with the first woman, black and South Asian, as our Vice President. There has been some unrest in a few cities during the week, but not at the level we feared. Today celebrations erupted in cities all over the country. So heartening to see this catharsis. Of course we still have to endure two more months of an unhinged Trump.

Covid news keeps getting worse. In addition to frightening surges, a new, mutated strain has appeared and it may not respond to the vaccines we're waiting on. This new strain migrated from mink farms in Denmark. Millions of minks will be culled. With few travel restrictions out of Denmark this new strain with an altered spike protein has been detected in a few other countries. Not good news at all!

Covid in the Fall

October 26, 2020

Covid alarm bells are ringing again with the urgency we witnessed in the spring. The expected fall wave is here after a summer reprieve in Europe. France is the worst hit with daily infections now close to 50,000. Partial lockdowns, curfews, earlier closing times for bars and restaurants and mask wearing are some mitigation measures. In the USA the heartland is having its turn, bringing our daily new cases close to 80,000. This third "wave" isn't a surprise. Epidemiologists have made the siren calls that without strong centralized government policy different parts of the country will be affected at different times. Utterly frustrating to hear the experts like Dr. Fauci urge safety measures and Trump the infant doing the opposite.

Fall is definitely here. Mornings are chilly. We've had to turn our heating on when we get up. Outdoor exercise is delightful in cooler temperatures. On Saturday at sunrise Daryl and I strolled on More Mesa Beach which we accessed from Mockingbird Lane. We had the beach to ourselves - so serene and magnificent - and we welcomed the strenuous climb up the many steps back to the mesa. On Sunday we drove to the backcountry onto East Camino Cielo Road to access the Fremont Ridge Trail. Cloudy cool weather was ideal for a good trek through the chaparral. A dense layer of mist obscured the normally breathtaking views, but we didn't mind. We went further than in the past, to a section where the trail narrows and drops steeply into the Santa Ynez River valley. The return, all uphill, gave us quite a work out. Normally, a 5 mile strenuous hike before breakfast drains me, but I stuffed myself with a scone from the previous morning's breakfast and that sustained me pretty well.

Cayden update: All evidence points to the acne treatment he has been on for a month. For some reason the prescription medication he'd been taking affected his liver and spleen, caused inflammation and persistent high fever. Biopsy results and blood tests exposed another issue - tuberculosis. Not the usual contagious kind that affects lungs and makes you cough. His is a latent form, which he might have been able to fight off had his immune system not been compromised. He was immediately put on a course of medication and all would have been fine had he not developed an allergy to one of the medicines he'd been given. He broke out into a full body rash so all medication was halted. He was thankfully released from hospital after a full week there. Now his rash is gradually disappearing and once his skin is fine he'll resume medication. We're all having an awful 2020 but for Cayden it's worse! Poor guy!

Eight days before election day. A tense time. Due to the pandemic states have opened up polling centers for early voting and turn out everywhere has been robust. Also many people are voting by mail this year.

I tracked my mailed in ballot and pleased to see that it's been accepted.

We are obviously hoping for overwhelming results in Biden's favor so that we won't have a long, drawn out fiasco after November 3.

The Trump team hoped for an October surprise similar to the Comey announcement last year. They tried to feed a Hunter Biden corruption story to the FBI and the Wall Street Journal. But only right wing fringe media went with the story, so it backfired. Hurrah!

Pleased with the lawn signs I've been seeing in my neighborhood!

For escapism at the moment I'm watching the Netflix series Norsemen. Farcical and satirical, it's hilarious. Just what the doctor ordered for these bleak times.

October 31

Three days until election day. We are nervous wrecks, wanting to believe the polls but the trauma of November 2016 keeps us wringing our hands. A Trump win will be unthinkably horrifying.

As the month ends the global mood is again one of anguish. In the USA daily new infections broke records with over 100,000 new cases reported yesterday. That's twice as many as India, 2nd on the Worldometers list. Europe's surge has exceeded Latin America's daily new cases. All of France will go into strict lockdown next week. So will England and critical parts of Germany and Spain. In the USA, mitigation measures are obscure. California is maintaining a low infection rate and my county's daily numbers are as low as they were before the summer surge. So I'm not despairing despite the fact that the country has now exceeded a total of 9 million cases since the start of the pandemic. 

We're ending the month with a week of summery daytime temps. Halloween today is subdued. Trick or treaters can't do their usual knocking on doors in their neighborhoods. Poor souls.

Almost 8 months of pandemic life and we've adapted to our restricted lives. No visiting friends at their homes. Nobody has come inside our home. Leisure shopping doesn't happen. Trips to the grocery store are infrequent, quick and guarded. Mask wearing is normal. Entertainment venues have remained dark. Though most of the world is in a state of limbo there are places where normal life continues. New Zealand, Australia, China, Taiwan, South Korea and a handful of others. We're all so desperate for normal. We're assured that vaccines will soon be available. Currently, the experts predict we'll know by December of a safe candidate. Then starting in January the public will start getting vaccinated, but it will take at least 6 months to reach everyone in the country. This puts us at June for a somewhat back to normal scenario.

Pandemic Diary - October 2020

October 2

The October surprise has landed. Trump tested positive for the coronavirus! Got the news just before going to bed last night. Melania positive too. Both have mild symptoms and will be in isolation for the next 2 weeks. It's all the news today. Of course I confess to Schadenfreude! By the end of the day we'll learn of more people in Trump's orbit who have the virus. My biggest hope is that it jeopardizes hearings for the Supreme Court Justice replacing RBG.

October 5

Donald Trump was helicoptered to Walter Reed Military Hospital less than 24 hours after news of his Covid announcement. So it's serious! Though all news outlets are covering the story details are murky. More White House positive cases emerge everyday. Turns out that the ceremony held to nominate Amy Coney Barrett in the Rose Garden was a super spreader event and many who attended tested positive. This includes 2 Republican senators on the judiciary committee.

Less than a month before election and the pandemic is again the big news. Trump's utter failure to handle the crisis. Plus his utter recklessness in continuing to campaign in front of crowds, endangering all involved.

My therapy this weekend was attempting to make sourdough bread. A daunting, multistep process that I doubt will become a regular activity. The outcome wasn't great, but it tasted right and looked passable.

October 6

A week of breathtaking Trump news. First, the New York Times exposé on his tax returns. We learned about his $400 million debt, that he hasn't paid taxes in years and paid just $750 in taxes in 2016 and 2017. Next came the first presidential debate in which Trump shouted, bullied, interrupted and basically demonstrated just how obnoxious he is. And then came news of his Covid infection, serious enough to be hospitalized for 3 days to receive state of the art treatments, including an experimental monoclonal antibody medicine. His return to the White House was staged for television in keeping with his narcissism and dictator delusions. More appalling was his dismissiveness of the health crisis, showing no regard for the critically ill unable to access the services lavished on him, nor acknowledging the losses of grieving families. This is a desperate man who knows his days are numbered. 

We see ads like these everyday. In our community face coverings are the norm and when we see someone's bare face we cringe.

October 12

Confirmation hearings of Amy Cony Barrett began this morning. Utterly depressing on top of all the other depressing news. Talk about rubbing salt on a wound!

The news has moved on from Trump's personal Covid drama to his return to the campaign trail as an unhinged lunatic. It's been so stressful anticipating his corrupt attacks on Biden. Now we're three weeks from the election and my anxiety is even greater.

I confess I feel optimistic about Biden and Harris. The polls are showing strong leads even in battleground states. My concern is the senate. It's always nail-biting for the democrats to win senate seats in red states.

Covid news has turned grim again with frightening surges in the UK, France and Spain. The rest of Europe is seeing a significant rise in cases too. The dreaded fall wave is here. In the US, after leveling off at around 40,000 new cases a day for a month, our numbers are climbing to over 50,000 a day. Different states are at play now - mainly the midwest and northern states. California is holding steady at around 3,500 new daily cases and under 100 daily deaths. But much of the state is still in the purple tier. Our county has moved to the red tier. Curious to see if we can continue to keep our numbers down with the lifting of some restrictions.

October 19

California went into lockdown exactly 7 months ago, on March 19. While our state is holding steady with new daily infections, case numbers nationwide are trending upward. Numbers are climbing to July/August totals. Daily deaths continue to be close to 1000. Europe's situation is alarming. Daily new cases in France are exploding - over 20,00 and in the UK just under 20,000. Spain and Italy are reporting big numbers too. Daily deaths in Europe are currently low, but hospitals and ICU units are filling up. Australia continues to do well with a handful of new daily cases. South Africa also appears to be holding steady at between 1000 and 2000 new daily infections.

Elections in 2 weeks. I mailed in my ballot 4 days ago. Fivethirtyeight predicts 70% chance of Democrats winning a trifecta. But I'm nervous as heck. We absolutely cannot endure more of this insanity that grips us! The news these days is full of Trump's shocking assertions and denigrations of experts. "Dr. Fauci is a disaster," he vomited. It really does feel like a horror movie in which an entire nation is taken hostage by a lunatic, and amazingly about half the citizens are okay about it!

My family's main concern now is Cayden, who was admitted to hospital 4 days ago. Today, he was anesthetized for biopsy and fluid samples. A persistent high fever, an abscess on his spleen and swollen liver are symptoms presented. Kalvin is beside himself with worry. Initially, due to Covid precautions no visitors were allowed and that was alarming to leave a 14 year old overnight at a hospital. But Cayden tested negative for the virus and his parents have been visiting him daily.

Summer is over. We had long periods of extreme heat in September and October, but today the temperature feels autumnal. With the shorter days, my daily schedule has to change. I can't do garden chores after dinner anymore. Now I have to cut my writing and reading time in the afternoon in order to get routine tasks done.

Covid times Turn Darker

September 19

It's been 23 hours since I heard about the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The thing we feared most - and it happened 45 days before election day. When Daryl broke the news to me I screamed hysterically. For 3 minutes I cried with my head buried in my hands. I became lightheaded from lack of oxygen and walked around a bit, drank some water and then felt that awful despair blanketing me. Can 2020 get any worse I wondered? Silly question since the November elections could be a disaster.

Minutes after RBG's death was announced Mitch McConnell and Trump began making noises about filling her seat in the Supreme Court. Obviously, the Merrick Garland fiasco was ignored as you'd expect from the world's biggest hypocrites. We just may escape a 3rd Trump appointee if the few Republican senators with some heart decide not to vote. Watching our democracy crumble is heartbreaking. Why didn't RBG resign under Obama before 2016? Every answer I've read when the question had been posed to her is feeble. Points at remarkable naivety. She told Gail Collins of the New York Times, "Oh, I'm sure we'll have a fine next president." Seriously?

September 22

I've been waking up with a sinking feeling each morning since Friday's news. Of course the Republicans are going to fill RBG's seat. School kids decades from now are surely going to be horrified at this period of US history. Trump, Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham, the most corrupt creatures, were voted into power by an electorate manipulated by Fox news and who hold irrational views on guns and abortion. Driven by money, greed and power, Trump and his clan don't give a crap about anyone. A sobering lesson on how much power the president wields and how dangerous a corrupt politician can be. And now we'll have to live with permanent damage for decades.

The pandemic has been overshadowed by the earthshaking events of the week. Europe's surge is becoming a concern. The UK's Covid numbers are predicted to grow exponentially in the next weeks. Boris Johnson has imposed laughable restrictions such as pubs and bars closing by 10:00 PM. Locally, Santa Barbara and California are continuing to make progress. Good to see that even though it's taking us a while to get to low numbers, the current safety measures are working. It's very unlikely we'll ever go into a complete lockdown again. The worst really is over. South Africa is also continuing to show declining new cases and daily deaths. They've dropped to 9th place on Worldometers.

At this point we may have another 6 months of this unstable, restricted situation. Experts assure us that a successful vaccine may become available by December, but will need months for wide distribution. By summer life may be back to normal. New treatments may soon be available too as well as better testing capabilities. I'm just happy that it's no longer a challenge to access food supplies. In the spring and early summer we missed out on seasonal produce. Now I make a weekly trip to Sprouts early morning when it's quiet and I grab fruit, milk, tofu, etc.

September 27

I awoke to the dreadful news of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's replacement, a devout Catholic, anti-abortion conservative. Thankfully, our Sunday morning beach walk provided distraction and therapy. Due to high tide and heavy surf, we saw more surfers than we'd ever seen this early. Dolphins close to shore and Canada geese flying in formation delighted us too. But after we returned home and went about our usual activities, my spirits fell again. It's staggering how fragile our democracy is. Watching the Republicans abusing their power with no one to stop them is jaw dropping. The Senate will always have a Republican majority with brief periods of Democrats in the majority. And now the Supreme Court is decidedly conservative too. Can nothing be done?

More bad news - another destructive fire broke out today in Napa Valley. A day of evacuations and structural damage. What despair! 

The day ended with bombshell news about Trump's tax records which the New York Times has published in detail. No taxes paid for several years and in 2016 he paid just $750. The report exposed shady business shenanigans and debt of over $400 million. Who does he owe this money to? Is this news going to have any impact on the elections?

September 28

Covid News: A million people have died from the disease. In the USA more than half the number of states are trending upward with over 40,000 new daily cases. Santa Barbara County has shown satisfactory declines and will be moving to the less restrictive red tier this week. With UCSB students moving into Isla Vista we're anticipating possible surges. Though classes are all online some students hope to experience some of that "moving away from home" excitement.

September 30

I feel restless, discombobulated, depressed. I can't wait for Trump to be booted out. Election Day is 5 weeks away but I'm bracing for ugliness for a while after while Trump attempts to pull out all stops to stay in power. How I wish he'd be dragged away, handcuffed and humiliated.

Last night at the first presidential debate Trump seized the opportunity to shout, bully, lie, interrupt and belittle Biden. Too bad Biden went on the defensive. Though he was mostly dignified he needs more practice fielding attacks from a reviled creature. All media outlets are headlining with the appalling shouting match that the debate turned into.

On this last day of the month, the end of summer, the start of fall, the Covid situation continues to dictate how we conduct our daily lives. Our county is holding steady with a low transmission rate and retail and personal services are opening up. Los Angeles has improved tremendously and statewide things are looking good. A 14 day average of 3,400 new daily cases and 84 daily deaths shows a promising decline from a month ago. 

Covid in California Six Months later

Summer is Ending

September 7 - My Birthday

A sizzler. Temperatures today and yesterday record breaking - above 100 °F. Every surface in our house hot to the touch in the afternoon. All windows and doors wide open. Yesterday we woke up to news about a ferocious fire in the Sierras and campers had to be airlifted to safety by helicopters. This morning an eerie sun glowed through haze. A heatwave, raging fires, a pandemic and a contentious presidential election coming up. I'm not going to forget this birthday!

Despite the gloom I spent most of the morning on video and audio calls with family members and friends. Comforting to feel cared for. Daryl baked a lemon cake and is planning to make quiche for a dinner we'll share with Premi and Sri.

It's Labor Day. Beaches are closed for stationery activities to avoid the Memorial Day fiasco which led to Covid spikes. Can't afford to undo the progress we're making statewide. Nationwide new daily infections and daily deaths are in a slow decline thankfully. Disappointing to see surges in Spain and France where they're back to April daily case numbers. It's a younger demographic affected so there may not be huge death tolls. We'll know toward the end of September. Meanwhile, India is the most affected with daily infections now over 80,000. Brazil appears to have leveled off. Latin America still a hot zone. Mysteriously, Africa's deaths are low. 

Vaccine news appears daily. Health centers nationwide are being asked to prepare for a possible delivery by the end of October. An optimistic scenario ... but, just in case ... Experts are telling us an available vaccine is more likely to appear in early 2021.

On the first Saturday of September we went to More Mesa Beach which we accessed via Mockingbird Lane. We followed the wide, straight trail to a steep flight of stairs allowing for an easy descent onto a sandy beach protected and shaded by cliffs. In the early morning, with the tide out, we enjoyed a magnificent stroll to Hope Ranch Beach and beyond before turning back.

September 10

The calamities continue to pile on. Currently, there are raging wildfires throughout California as well as in Oregon and Washington. Photos of an apocalyptic San Francisco with an orange glow over the Golden Gate Bridge appear everywhere.

Another disappointment is the suspension of the Oxford vaccine. A trial participant fell seriously ill with an inflammation of spinal cord nerve tissue. A panel of experts is reviewing the situation and will decide whether to continue or terminate. This vaccine from the Jenner institute, which AstroZeneca will manufacture, has so far been the frontrunner with thousands of participants in a Phase 3 trial in the UK, South Africa, Brazil and in the USA. Depressing with a capital D.

Making headlines this week is journalist Bob Woodward's new book in which Trump's disastrous Covid response is detailed. In recorded tapes Trump admits he's awareness of the scale of the impending pandemic back in February but deliberately chose to downplay it. Of course, none of this is news to us. Perhaps Trump faithfuls may actually demonstrate outrage. Maybe Covidiots will open their eyes to what we're dealing with.

Worldometers had good news. Covid transmission is on a decline nationwide and statewide. California recorded 1,616 new cases on Sept 8, the lowest since early May. Death toll at 83 and a return to double digits at last. The 14 day average of new cases is 4,316 and deaths 102.

New case numbers for Sept 9: USA 35,244; deaths 1,209; South Africa recorded 1,990 new cases and 82 deaths and has dropped to 8th place on Worldometers.

Though the trend lines look good, and I feel less anxious than a month ago, I can't relax. South Africa's economy now fully open can only spell a new surge in the near future. It's inevitable. We're seeing this in Europe right now. Here, in Santa Barbara county, students will soon be returning to Isla Vista even though all classes will be online. Everyone is anticipating a fall surge.

The fog rolled in yesterday and has kept our temperatures down, thankfully. The grey sky is a combination of smoke from wildfires as well as fog resulting in a weird light. I've been enjoying running on the beach. So effortless and energizing. Doing stretches on the shore facing the water is a thrill.

Sept 11

We've had just glimpses of the sun in the past few days. the sky is mostly blanketed by grey smoke. Even though there aren't any fires in our county, the rest of the state is being ravaged on an unprecedented scale. An apocalyptic orange glow bathes the Bay Area. A permanent dusk with ashy air. Similar to what we saw in Sydney in December. Our spirits are rock bottom.

September 17

With summer in its dying days we've stopped going for an after dinner walk in our neighborhood due to darkness setting in before 7:30. Our weekly walk up La Goleta Road to join Petar and Anna Kokotavich for a glass of wine has changed to an earlier time. Out on their deck the view of our backcountry is breathtaking especially as the sun is about to set.

We've been living with this pandemic for 6 months now and we've adjusted to a new normal. Life goes on while we employ modifications. Everyone accepts the need for face masks - glaring ads from vendors on every web page - and stores have been vigilant with safety measures. Restaurants have expanded their outdoor seating. Friends gather in backyards. My book group met at Oak Park where we sat on our folding chairs spaced out but happy to see faces. We've learned not to pine for normal and be grateful for what we have.

Right now, with less than 2 months before the elections, we desperately hope we are seeing the tail end of Trump and his clan. Though what he'll do in these weeks keeps us anxious. Will there be an October surprise?

It's a good feeling to see that our Covid numbers in the county and state are continuing with a downward trend. Los Angeles has made outstanding progress and their daily new cases are now back to pre Memorial Day numbers. The new daily case numbers curve for California shows a peak on August 11 and then a steady decline. 

But we can't sit back and relax. Nationwide, after a steady decline, new case numbers are increasing again, with 44,000 infections today. Europe's new surge is a concern, especially as numbers are exceeding spring daily totals. Many Latin American countries are still reporting explosive growth in infections, but Brazil has made progress. India's new daily infections are close to 100,000 now. A friend with relatives in India said that infections are mild. Deaths are relatively low and this could be due to strong immunity from living in unhygienic environments, eating street food, etc. Same is probably true in African countries which appear to have adopted a laissez faire attitude and not bothered to report daily new case numbers. Death tolls are low, so the guess is that infections are mild with few hospitalizations. We may yet witness natural herd immunity!

Vaccine news is prominent these days. The Oxford vaccine which was suspended earlier this month due to a participant developing a neurological reaction, has resumed trials at all their sites except in the USA. The FDA will need to give its approval. Two other leading contenders, Moderna and Pfizer, have released blueprints today. They essentially hope to have results in December or maybe January, depending on whether they obtain the minimum number of infections from participants on placebos. They are guessing that widespread distribution will start in spring 2021.

So we'll have to continue restricting our movements. Depressing, yes, but knowing what we're dealing with is helpful. The worst is over. We are more than halfway to freedom. There won't be food shortages. I can shop at Sprouts early in the morning and at Trader Joe's just before closing time there. Grateful for little things.

Wonder what the world will be like 2 weeks from now?

Covid in California as Summer Peaks

August 24

Foggy morning, thank goodness! After 2 sizzling weeks - due to tropical storm systems south of us - the lower temps  are blissful. Did my morning run on the beach, from Goleta Beach to the bluffs on campus, down to another stretch of beach and back. Found it soul nourishing. A balm for my battered spirits. Dry thunderstorm activity a week ago ignited raging wildfires across California. The northern part of the state is experiencing the worst of it, where evacuation orders complicate efforts to isolate and prevent Covid 19 spread. Our skies and air have been smoky. Firefighters from across the nation and even from Australia came over to help put out the fires.

Politics now leads the news due to the elections in just over 2 months. This week the Republicans will have their convention and Trump promises to dominate on each of the 4 days. Stomach churning.

The Postmaster General - DeJoy (a Trump appointee) - has been called for questioning by Congress. The Post Office has been taking down public mail boxes and other questionable actions are going on raising suspicions of potential problems with mail in election ballots.

Covid news has been muted. Daily case numbers and deaths in California and in the USA are continuing to trend downward. More states are showing declines than not. Europe, on the other hand, is dealing with new outbreaks and growing new daily infections. South Africa has stabilized to around 3000 new daily cases. There's still explosive numbers in Latin America and India but we aren't getting news that conveys the kind of urgency we'd been hearing about in Europe and the USA.

Cayden and Shrayen started school again today. Fingers crossed that all will go well until the end of the year. 

August 28

Covid anxiety lower in the last 2 weeks as countywide, statewide and nationwide new infections trended downward. California's 14 day average for new cases is 6456 and for deaths is 124. In the USA daily new cases in the past two weeks are above 40,000 and daily deaths around 1,300. South Africa's daily case numbers have declined to around 3000 or less in the past 2 weeks. India now holds the record for highest cases on a single day when their Aug 27 count was 76,800. Latin American countries continue to have high daily infections. Europe is seeing a worrying surge, especially in Spain and France. Everyone wants to avoid another lockdown, so mask wearing is increasingly emphasized.

I'm not expecting the current situation to change much until a vaccine is available. Openings, shutdowns, restrictions, the odd lockdown somewhere, successes, concerns, failures and disrupted student lives. There's talk of rapid Covid tests and new therapies (monoclonal antibodies in particular) and these will help with some sort of stability while we ride out the pandemic.

The Republicans just had their 4 day convention. Daily circus acts where they flouted Covid safety measures and spewed out lies and took credit for successes they had no part in. Trump gave his acceptance speech in front of the White House to an unmasked crowd - a grotesque act for multiple reasons. If we're lucky these may be the final months of this despicable administration.

My book group met at West Campus hosted by Adrienne. Perfect summer evening, mild temperatures, wafts of ocean smells drifting from the beach nearby. Chairs arranged in a circle on a grassy patch, overlooked by a row of towering palms. Over brown bagged dinners we shared our personal stories and discussed The Vanishing Half, a novel about twin black sisters from a small Louisiana town. One uses her light skin and straight hair to pass as white and moves to Los Angeles where she lives the American dream. The other marries then divorces a dark skinned abusive black man and returns to her home town with her very dark skinned daughter. Themes of prejudice in all its forms run through this very engaging book.

August 31

When NPR came on at 6:00 AM and I opened my eyes I was amazed at how dark it was. The peak of summer has no doubt past. Sigh! It's been the weirdest summer of my life. I want it to be over so that we can get closer to better days. Yet, I feel my usual sadness as it wanes.

Total identified Covid cases in USA 6,170,000; total deaths 187,000. Still trending downward with 42,000 new daily cases and 1,200 daily deaths. A while to go before returning to May lows of 21,000 new daily cases and daily deaths in the lower hundreds. Perhaps that won't happen since states in the heartland are now experiencing surges. California is making progress, reporting around 6000 new daily cases and about 120 deaths in the past 2 weeks. Governor Newsom has introduced a new color coded system for counties which details where they are and what they need to do to progress to a new level. Our county, like much of the state, is purple, the most serious level and this means no schools, no indoor dining, and restricted personal services. Other than that the economy is functioning with measures in place.

South Africa, after a week of an opened up economy still showing progress with new daily infections around 2,500 and just over a 100 daily deaths. Will be watching this closely in the next weeks. Curious to see the situation in mid September.

Australia has things under control again, with small numbers of new daily infections. It's the only country that has banned its residents from traveling out of the country. Max is stuck, unable to fly to Germany to be with his family.

Meanwhile, India now tops the world in daily infections which are close to 80,000. Significant new daily infections in Peru, Colombia, Argentina and other South American countrie. Europe grappling with how to suppress new surges.

It looks certain that there won't be another massive lockdown again here, or anywhere. Local governments may impose varying degrees of restrictions. In California, we've settled into a lifestyle that allows us to get through our days reasonably well. If this is sustainable then we may struggle on with some bumps along the way until we're saved by a vaccine.

Though we've found ways to keep our spirits up, the general state of things in the USA is unsettling. Black Lives Matter protests haven't stopped in some cities and often there's been rioting along with peaceful marches. In Portland there's been ongoing unrest, a situation not easy to solve and complicated over the weekend by a caravan of Trump supporters which resulted in a fatal shooting. Since mid-August Kenosha, Wisconsin, has been wracked by demonstrations. A Black man, due to illegal drug involvement, was shot 7 times by police and is now hospitalized. Trump's erratic actions and words keep us on edge too.

We're worried about the elections and the likelihood of corruption from the Trump camp.

I so badly want this pandemic to be behind us. I want to feel free to go to stores and visit friends at their homes and entertain people properly at our home. I want to go downtown and mingle with crowds, shop at farmer's market, have a Happy Hour drink, stroll through the Funk Zone, dine at a packed restaurant.

We've had some cool weather the past few days, which I liked. Made my morning runs more pleasurable. Our weekend morning beach walks were joyful in the fog. Coal Oil Point on one morning, and More Mesa Bluffs the next where we walked farther than ever before, all the way to the many steps that led down to the delightful beach. We headed east and found ourselves at Hope Ranch Beach where people were appearing in growing numbers. Climbing up the long, long stairway on our return gave us quite a workout! We were ready to pig out on crepes filled with sweet, juicy strawberries and rhubarb.

All of August, despite the pandemic, we were blessed with summer's bounty. In our CSA weekly box we've been getting exquisite tomatoes (heirlooms and other), juicy melons, bell peppers, strawberries and other luscious vegetables. I pop over to Lane Farms stand every Saturday for their delicious sweetcorn and whatever else looks good and easy to grab. I've also been popping into Sprouts once a week for peaches (at their peak now), blueberries, grapes, and figs. We've made peach cobblers and a peach tart so our splendid meals have been ending with scrumptious peach dessert every evening for a while.

Covid Diary August 2020

August 5

Overshadowing pandemic news today is the August 4 Beirut explosion of ammonium nitrate which was stored in a warehouse at the port. Massive destruction of the port area and numerous city buildings. 135 deaths and over 4000 injured. Heartwrenching.

Daryl and I have added tutoring sessions to our daily routines. Cayden and Shrayen, South African nephews who've been out of school since March, are falling behind in their math so we've been working with them via Skype. They seem to love it and are motivated and eager to please.

Covid numbers in South Africa are finally trending downward. 

California is showing improvement too, with new daily cases finally below 10,000. 

August 7

Due to computer glitches at the state level California's new daily case numbers this first week of August have been underreported, showing a 14 day average of 8436. Most frustrating. We are warned the number is higher. It's been over a week since the problem was noticed and amazingly it hasn't yet been fixed. Governor Newsom has been silent on the issue. We do know that the deaths are at a 14 day average of 130. Hospitalizations and ICU admissions have declined too after surging from June to the end of July. The new hotspot in the state is Kern County.

South Africa has leveled off at around 8,000 new daily cases and 300 daily deaths.

Everyday we hear about flare-ups in various parts of the world. It's clear that the Covid situation will continue to ebb and flow. 

My morning runs at Stow Park have been a blissful way to start my day. I'm thrilled to have found a successful way to get my daily exercise. These signs are posted at the park:

The shade from these redwoods, oaks and pines make it possible to enjoy my run. Smells, sounds and sights are all delightful enhancements to the experience.

August 11

Woke up to a foggy morning again. Most of July and this first third of August have started out with fog which lingers until midday to early afternoon. We welcome this. Reduces fire danger, keeps temps down. I'm able to go running on the beach, which I find immensely uplifting.

After breakfast I tutored Shrayen via Skype. I'm teaching him fractions, which is all new to him. My heart goes out to these kids who haven't been in a classroom since March. Though the school sends lesson assignments via email, it doesn't quite help them with absorbing new concepts. 

Russia headlined today with their announcement of an approved vaccine. Their new "Sputnik" moment is how they want it perceived. But the rushed process with no Phase 3 clinical trials is greeted with condemnation in the US.

Worldometers shows more than 20 million identified cases in the world with a quarter of those in the USA. India, at 3rd place, had the most number of new cases yesterday, followed by Brazil. New case numbers for the USA and California now showing a downward trend. We may be making progress in California but a technical glitch with the state's recording data systems have been showing underreported totals for the past 2 weeks. However, deaths and hospitalizations have declined and that's good news. Nationwide, deaths are declining too.

In South Africa, the trends look good too, with declining new daily cases and deaths.

I predict the same messiness we've endured the past 5 months for the next 5 months. Even countries with strong, ethical leadership can't control random hotspots. New Zealand, after 102 successive days of no new local cases, reported a small cluster identified in Auckland. Jacinda Ardern took immediate action, issuing lockdown until the matter was resolved.

China continues to have success, snuffing out hotspots, and able to resume somewhat normal economic activity. On Worldometers 30 countries show more total Covid cases than China.

Despite Covid gloom I'm anticipating reasons for optimism. The elections may go well. Vaccines may show success. The nightmare will end.

August 12

Kamala Harris! The news flashed on my computer screen yesterday afternoon and though I'd been wishing for Susan Rice to be the VP pick, I teared up. A woman with my mother's name could be in the White House in 5 months! My Sydney brother sent me an excited message as soon as he heard the news - early morning as he was getting up.

Good to have this bit of excitement overshadow Covid news. 

August 14

Awoke to a hot morning, but morning run in Stow Park went well thanks to the shade of the many towering trees. A sizzling spell is upon us through the weekend. Summer at its peak keeps my spirits. Balmy evenings, lots of daylight, bountiful produce, especially the tomatoes - heirlooms in our CSA box this week - welcome distractions from Covid. For dinner last night we started with slices of cantaloupe, which came in our produce box. Juicy, sweet, absolutely at its prime it reminded us of summer vacations in Europe. For mains we had plant based "turkey" cutlets and roasted carrots, zucchini and mini bell peppers. We opened up an Amarone to accompany this meal - and it matched splendidly.

The mood this week got a great big boost from Biden's VP pick, Kamala Harris. The more liberal left made some noises that their preference, Stacy Abrams, was ignored, but they're showing excitement too. I see now that Susan Rice - my preference - may not have generated the same excitement since she isn't as colorful and dynamic as Harris. In fact, everyone was sending links to each other of videos showing Kamala Harris showcasing her Tamil heritage. The Democrats have a strong ticket and if they don't get elected, this could only mean a deep dsyfunctionality that has to be addressed.

Covid News: Total identified cases in the USA has reached 5,400,000 with roughly 55,000 daily new cases. I'm not expecting this number to change since new states experience spikes as other states bring their numbers down. Daily deaths hover around 1,200. In California our 14 day average of new daily cases is now 7,700. Still too high. The past few weeks have been the deadliest since the outbreak. On 08/04 there were 202 deaths. Our 14 day average death toll is currently 136. In Santa Barbara County we had 75 new cases on 08/13.

This, I predict, is the new normal.

South Africa has bent the curve, reporting between 2,500 and 4,000 new daily cases. Daily deaths between 200 and 300 are higher than they've ever been. The country will lift most of its pandemic restrictions from August 17, 5 months after lockdown was imposed. Though this may result in a new wave of infections, the government is under pressure to balance harm to the economy versus Covid's impact. Same story all over the globe.

August 19

The Democratic National Convention which kicked off on August 17 dominates the news. A nice break from Covid coverage. The all virtual event is impressive in organization and creativity. The opening featured kids from every state singing the national anthem in the most heartwarming voices. Michelle Obama gave a stirring, impassioned speech on Day 1. Jill Biden assured us of her sincerity and compassion in a well delivered speech from an empty classroom at a school where she had taught. The convention has fueled hope and excitement. It looks likely that in November we'll be breathing sighs of relief.

In California an apocalyptic scenario from raging fires across the state, triggered by storm activity, has forced many people out of their homes. A ridge of high pressure moved into the state a week ago causing lighting, intense heat, and high humidity. We're wilting. Demand on energy has translated to rolling blackouts. 

It's six months since California's lockdown. The partially opened economy keeps us going. Grocery stores are stocked, restaurants are operating with expanded outdoor seating, and busy roads and people out and about give the illusion of normalcy. The state's Covid numbers aren't good though. The 14 day average of new daily cases is 8,089 and daily deaths 132. We're slowly bending the curve. Santa Barbara county numbers are trending downward as well. I would breathe a sigh of relief except that I know as soon as our numbers are low enough to be removed from the Governor's watchlist, we're going to open up schools and higher risk businesses and this will inevitably put us at greater risk of increased infections.

Nationwide the numbers are declining - daily case numbers hover below 50,000 - but we're also learning that testing has decreased. So, again, we're robbed of optimism.

South Africa has fully opened its economy since Monday, August 17. Tutoring Cayden and Shrayen may end next week when they return to school. The message given to South Africans is that they have just past their peak. Warmer weather is on its way and may help keep new daily cases low. The government is taking its chances out of pressure to resuscitate their fragile economy. Perhaps they will reach a stable, manageable situation until therapeutics are available. Also, the country's death rate appears lower than western countries, but there are rumors of inaccuracy. The African continent as a whole is showing relatively low cases and deaths. Not sure what the explanation is.

Covid epicenter still in Latin America (staggering daily increases) and the USA.

Europe's numbers are creeping up. Australia is showing improvement. China and most of Asia have modeled how to deal with a highly transmissible lethal virus.

I yearn for the freedom of normal life.