covid diary: day 3

So the president gave a press conference two nights ago, and it had ... let's just say, it had the opposite of its intended calming effect. In my opinion, he laid bare what we already knew: this administration is not going to effectively lead us through this crisis. They just aren't equipped, and they've cut too many people with the institutional knowledge necessary to rise to a challenge like this one. In response, last night a whole slew of governors, including ours, stepped up to the plate and decided that if the president wouldn't lead, they WOULD.

[Side note: I like to imagine them on a 50-state conference call with Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, who has been dealing with mass infections, especially around Seattle, and was days ahead in calling for measures of distancing and isolation. In my imagination, Gov. Inslee told them all what they should be doing, and each governor got off the phone and made a list of which items on that list would be feasible for their own states.]

Our governor, Eric Holcomb, is a Republican. We definitely didn't vote for him. We're not huge fans. BUT what a relief to have someone FINALLY take charge. Gov. Holcomb announced measures limiting the number of people who can gather together, recommended ways for people to distance themselves from others to stop the spread, pledged to have state employees start transitioning to working from home where possible, and most importantly, issued a waiver for up to 20 days (a full four weeks!) of school with no penalties for the students or teachers.

In the hour after our governor's announcement, a lot of things happened. On the national level, it was revealed that a player in the NBA tested positive, and the entire league suspended play for the foreseeable future. Actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announced from Australia (where they were on location) that they had tested positive and were in quarantine. And on the local level, our schools closed down for the rest of the month. We had no school today, and we'll have no school Monday. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be elearning days. Friday marks the start of spring break.

The kids are disappointed that they won't get to hang out with their friends or go much of anywhere for a while. And I get it. Believe me, I get it. But this is a critical time. And encouraging as many people to stay home as possible is going to help everyone in the long run. It will help slow the spread so hospitals aren't overwhelmed. It will help us not get sick, and it will help our families stay healthy too. It's worth it.

Indiana is posting updated numbers about in-state cases. Here's the most recent data: