In the months of March and April, I noticed a curious thing. Whenever I would be outside at night (usually to take out the trash), I would stop and stand very still and listen.

It was dead silent.

There is always a background hum to what we call civilization. Back in High School, our Social Studies teacher took us to the roof of the school and had us listen to it. When I was young I used to love to go up to the roof of the apartment building and listen to it… the hum of the cars, airplanes, ambulances, whatever, it was always there.

Even after 9 11, when all the air traffic was down, the hum was still there.

But during these last two months it was gone. Replaced by an introspective quiet, the absence of useless motion, almost a protective blanket of quiet lest the virus come and get you.

Over the last few days, starting with the slow reopening of Long Island, the growing realization that there is Spring in the air, and the tragic murder of George Floyd with the ensuing protests and completely unaffiliated opportunistic looters, the quiet is gone.

I stood outside and the hum was back.

Gone was the introspection.

Gone was the protective blanket of silence, replaced with white hot anger and the realization that no matter what Nature throws at us, the worst enemy humanity has is itself.

The diseases of Racism, Hatred, Opportunism, and Cruelty have pushed Covid almost to the background.

The mask a mere part of the uniform we all wear to be out in the world.

Covid is still here

I fear that we will see another mini surge in cases with all the protests. I hope not.

There are still no effective treatments.

We are sending ventilators to Russia (as well as useless Hydroxychloroquine).

And there is the injection of the “culture war” into the basic public health measure of wearing masks.

This Blog is Evolving

I will continue to bring the latest in news of Covid to this blog, but I will also be bringing news of general health, disease specific self care, health and public policy, and a larger perspective to the idea of health writ large.

As Always…

Wash your hands, do not touch your face, social distance, wear the masks! Eat Right, Exercise, and most of all… practice loving each other.

Toleration is NOT the goal, valuing and celebration of each other is the goal.