Coronavirus Diaries

As I wrote yesterday, it seemed people finally confronted the fact that the Coronavirus is something we need to worry about.

Today, the news continues to be rather grim. The Coronavirus is a more dangerous, potent virus versus the regular flu and now, two days later, it feels like closing off events where large numbers of people are pressed together closely (ie sport events, theme parks) is a prudent move.

Here’s the big question: How long will this go on?

Not to put too fine a point on it, but the economic impact will be both very negative and incredibly huge.

Walt Disney World and Disneyland, along with Universal, announced yesterday they would be shutting down. This not only affects the park’s owners/operators, who will lose millions of dollars each day, but more importantly also the park employees, many of whom make close to minimum wage.

I’m reading about the effects to other “mom and pop” type stores, that suddenly there aren’t many clients going to restaurants or stores in general, preferring to close themselves in at home and away from the possibility of catching and spreading this disease.

They’re not wrong in worrying even as one wonders how some of these smaller businesses and especially their employees will survive what could be an extended period of economic slowdown.

Truly we’re going through a new and very frightening situation, both for fear of catching something that could cause significant health problems, and the resulting effects it has on our bottom line.

The biggest hope is that scientists figure out in relatively short order a vaccine and/or effective treatment against this pandemic before it becomes far, far worse than it already is.

Pretty obvious stuff, I guess.