from the desk of David Almandsmith
Hello again, science fans,
If you’re feeling bored, Google “food bank volunteer near me” (or similar).
If you’re caught up in the frenzy of providing essential services, we deeply appreciate you.
If you’re a little worried, good; a little worry is appropriate. If you are under 60 and in good health, worry about getting infected, becoming horribly miserable, and passing it on to everyone around you. (Best to practice self distancing.) If you are over 60 or in poor health, practice self distancing. If you have cold or flu symptoms, self isolate. Also, check this out: Coping With Anxiety and Depression During the Coronavirus Pandemic.
The Center for Inquiry has a Coronavirus Resource Center with good advice to follow and with bullshit to avoid. The San José Mercury News has a section devoted to the pandemic.
If you appreciate irony, the National Museum of Natural History exhibit, “Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World,” is closed due to the pandemic.
About two years ago, Smithsonian Magazine ran a series entitled “The Next Pandemic”:
Thirty-two “smart, macro thinkers” submitted short essays for the Politico feature, “Coronavirus Will Change the World Permanently. Here’s How.” It’s my favorite read this week.
There are two animations I’d like to share with you. The first shows the spread of infections in the United States but only up through March 20. The second shows the spread of infections across the globe and is updated periodically.
At the beginning of March, i wrote in the SciSchmooze, “My back-of-the-envelope guesstimate suggested that as many as 3 – 6 people out of every thousand worldwide might succumb to this disease before it is brought under control.” I’m sticking with that prognostication but am hoping for a better outcome.
For those of you who eat data for breakfast, check out the Worldometer coronavirus site. Because the “Now” data only shows “New” accumulations since midnight, also check out the “Yesterday” data for a better sense of daily increases.
For those of you who are staying home with kids:
- Working from home with kids feels unsustainable. Here’s how to ease the burden.
- ‘This will be their 9/11′: How to help kids cope with coronavirus stay-at-home orders
- Tips For Homeschooling During Coronavirus
For ‘general information’ regarding the pandemic, i recommend, “How the Pandemic Will End”. For a critique of response and messaging, this article in The Lancet is from our local Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Laurie Garrett.
Finally, here is a title that we can all get behind: “Damn you, coronavirus. Damn you.”
Because there are no group events this week, here are some science channels:
There’s a lot more out there. Let me know your favorites.
Respectfully,
David Almandsmith
Board member, Bay Area Skeptics
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
― Albert Camus (1913 – 1960) Philosopher, author, journalist, and Nobel Laureate in literature.