We are slowly adapting to life during the Coronavirus pandemic. Non-essential businesses are now closed. We are now under a state-mandated “Shelter in Place” order – or stay at home as much as possible.
It was just two months ago that the U.S. discovered its first case of COVID-19 in the state of Washington. Now, our country has over 33,000 cases and over 400 dead. Illinois has over 1,000 cases. With much-delayed and limited testing barely available, we don’t know how many cases are in our backyard, but so far, no deaths from it have been confirmed in the Peoria area.
You can still go out to get gas and groceries, so there’s no need to panic buy and hoard toilet paper or Clorox wipes. Pretty much all events are cancelled for the foreseeable future, as health and state authorities attempt to “flatten the curve” of the Coronavirus spread, hoping to keep the number of sick manageable for our health care system.
Carryout restaurants, Caterpillar workers, Hospital workers, grocery store employees, truck drivers and media members are some of the occupations deemed essential. Many of you are working at home. We at GLO are giving hourly, updated, local Coronavirus information.
I’m keeping up my mental hygiene by walking my Husky dogs daily, since the gym and hockey are done for now. I believe the experts that the better we practice social distancing and isolation now, the quicker we can return to “normal life.” So does Sammy Hager (see below)
A cure for COVID-19 will be found, but it may be a year before we can say we’re “all clear” from it.
So, accept that this is our new normal for a while. COVID-19 is not going to wipe us off the map, but it is going to change the way we live for many months (years?) to come. I bet we’ll take fewer things for granted when it’s under control. In the meantime, find time to quiet your mind and keep listening to our station for the greatest rock ever made and regular Coronavirus updates.
Doc Watson
