Potential C virus Benefits

   I've figured out why Tokyo refuses to postpone the summer games. Canada and Australia are threatening to pull out and I'm sure other nations will follow. If everybody else does not show up, the Japanese athletes will win all the medals, and maybe even set some Guinness World Records, like Fastest Thousand-yard Dash While Wearing a Respirator.

   I think we need drive-through testing stations that will accommodate black limousines, dedicated to politicians. Their shoes would be examined to find out which of them have been dragging their feet for several months now. We also need romp-through IQ testing stations dedicated to spring breakers. Those testing positive for more than half a brain could be drafted to help care for C virus patients in hospitals. They wouldn't even have to wear masks, considering they're youth-immune. The rest of the breakers could go on to become politicians and lawyers just like Mommy and Daddy planned. We also need dedicated fast-test stations for the wealthy and elite among us, so they can each dispatch a member of their entourage to take the Cv test for them.

   All of that was just me being inappropriately sarcastic and venting frustration. Sorry.

   Seriously, it’s a stressful life-threatening time for all of us, and we’re finding out that even young people are more susceptible to this pandemic than we were first led to believe. Young or old, we’re all learning some hard lessons.

   But there are some potential benefits from all this.

   Companies are discovering that perhaps employees working from their homes is a pretty good idea even in non-pandemic times. It reduces road traffic, thus lowering the toll of accidents during the usual frenzied drive times, cuts gasoline usage and vehicle wear and thus expense, and reduces air pollution. Satellite analysis of China before Cv and after the Cv outbreak shows a dramatic improvement in air quality. It also reduces roadside littering and decreases emissions many scientists say contribute to global climate change.

   Home grocery delivery is also a good idea we ought to use more often. Just one delivery person serving 12 customers on a route as opposed to 12 grocery shoppers driving to and from the store independently makes good sense.

   We’re learning hygiene habits that will protect us not only from this Cv monster but also from other illnesses like the flu and common colds. And we’re learning how all nations can be far better prepared to deal with future biological threats.

   We’re spending more time with loved ones. We’re even starting to pull together like people did during World War Two and after Nine Eleven. Private companies are stepping up and doing what they can to help. I saw an item today about Harbor Freight donating their entire stock of masks and face shields to hospitals in need, for a good example. Ford and Tesla are ramping up to produce badly needed ventilators.

   So, this pandemic may not be all bad if it pulls us together in the fight and forces more sensible, more efficient, and healthier changes in social behaviors and customs from now on.

Phil