3/12/2020

My dear Friend and POTUS, DJT,

            So, how are you? I can only imagine what you are going through these days. I think you were wise to make a speech last night to let us know that you are trying to get CV under control. Being old enough to remember the quarantines and prohibitions that went along with the polio outbreaks, you know that we’ll get through this scary time, but unfortunately, we won’t get through it unscathed.

Now that you have decided to take some drastic actions, I am afraid the idea of shunning EU travelers was misguided. It’s never too late for a reset, so you might take a look at Nicholas Kristof’s NYT piece where he enumerates “12 steps to Tackle the Coronavirus” including giving paid sick leave to all workers. Apple, Walmart & Olive Garden are already doing that so we know that it’s possible.

            I asked the 5th graders yesterday what they knew about CV. Here are a few of the things that they mentioned: “Kids don’t get it.” “It can travel through air so you can catch it if you breathe air corona.” “Many, many died because of the nasty thing.” “You can get it by bats & snakes.” “It’s very contajuas.” “If you have it your going to go to a facility for 2 weeks.” “Its symptoms are dry cough, high fever & shortness of breath.” “Please clean yourself, I want live. Everybody loves you.” So, collectively they know as much as most adults. They don’t seem too alarmed. As one of them put it, “I personally don’t care about it.” They have heard that, neighboring school district, Elk Grove, closed all of its schools so they are hoping for some days off.

            I hope your annual St. Patrick’s Day visit with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar goes well today. He’s closed all of the schools so I’m sure there are some happy Irish 5th graders playing video games all day.

            BYBS,

            RCA