40 days

On March 16, 2020, the White House issued their Coronavirus Guidelines’ for next 15 days to slow pandemic.

On March 16, 2020, the United States had 4,632 overall #COVID19 cases, and 85 deaths from the virus. On March 16th, we had 1,133 daily cases and 22 people died.

15 days later, on March 31st, the United States had 188,172 overall cases and 3,873 deaths. On March 31st, the US had 26,335 daily cases and 895 people died.

April 3rd is when the US hit 30,000 daily cases. We have hovered right around that mark EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. SINCE. Ask yourself why?

April 3rd is 18 days after the social distancing, sheltering in place, etc, all started to actually make a difference. The exponential growth stopped. The virus stopped having so many easy targets to feed on, but it has still had targets. That is why cases didn’t really go down. People throughout have continued to flaunt the fact they won’t follow the stay at home orders. People move through the community not wearing masks, not practicing social distancing, and the virus loves this. So it has infected new people throughout April, keeping the overall case count growing, with between 25,000 and 30,000 new cases every day, putting our country at 900,000 cases and 50,000 deaths. It’s hard to believe that March 16th and 4,632 cases was just 40 days ago.

And what is happening now? The President and States are fully focused on opening things back up. The Government needs tax revenue to feed their coffers. Big business feels pressure from their shareholders, demanding profitability. Small business feels the mountain of dreams and expectations crumbling and savings dwindling. Workers have to figure out how to put food on the table when the government can’t and won’t take the steps necessary to help them. The virus is still there, looking forward to the new buffet it will have to choose from. The AstroTurf movement with small groups of loud (mostly) Trump supporters showing up at capitols and courthouses, crowding together, not wearing masks, is simply the most foolish thing imaginable. The virus looks on gleefully. The restaurants opening up patios, the hair stylists flaunting “we’re open”, the people who worship money more than people’s lives and egg it all on, they will be the ones responsible for the next wave of cases and deaths that are about to be thrust upon us.

It doesn’t have to be this way. But this is what it likely will be. And that makes me really sad.