Coronavirus President Trump Infected

President Trump tested positive for Covid-19 last Thursday. By Friday he was in the hospital. And by Monday he was back at the White House.

Leaders around the world have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to the former President of India Pranab Mukherjee.

These cases that even though many of us have coronavirus fatigue, we have to remain vigilant in wearing our masks and social distancing. 

The aspect of Trump's infection that I found most interesting was the care that he received. First, he received supplemental oxygen within 24 hours of showing symptoms. This is a treatment most people would not receive until they felt sick enough to go to the hospital which could be days after the initial onset of symptoms. How many times have you decided to try and wait out a cold or flu before going to a hospital? I have many times. And many times I have gotten better. Even when I didn't, when I call my doctor, the usual response is, Don't come in, we will send you a prescription to your local pharmacy. Come in if the symptoms get worse." I am thinking, I wouldn't be calling you if the symptoms have not been worsening.

Second, even with the quick provision of supplemental oxygen, President Trump still went to the hospital where, according to the New York Times, he took an experimental cocktail of drugs, the drug remdesivir, the steroid dexamethasone, and other drugs to aggressively fight the virus.

Thank goodness our President survived catching covid-19.

With none of the major world leaders dying from coronavirus, it goes to show that early detection and aggressive treatment are keys to keeping people alive. My concern is that these leaders who have recovered may be left with an impression that the virus is not something to be as feared as it should be. They hopefully realize that the treatments and the rapidity in which medical care was provided to them are not luxuries available to the vast majority of people. 

I think that if the leader of your country catches the virus, it should be a wake up call that the virus should be even more feared as it proves no one is immune. Everyday I am seeing more people on the street without masks. I don't understand. Who wants to be sick?

Wear your mask and keep your distance.

Take care and be safe.

New posts Tuesdays

Coronavirus Best and Worst of Road Trip

Seattle

A road trip during coronavirus?! It was awesome. Here are the best and worst situations we experienced on our two-week roadtrip from Los Angeles to Olympic National Park. Let me say, that we felt safe at every hotel we stayed in as they all had coronavirus measures in place. 

Stringent coronavirus checks

Most - Hyatt Place in Emeryville - asked us 3 coronavirus questions before they let us check in and gave us a handout on covid measures at hotel

Least - Bars - once you had a beer in your hand masks came off

Covid breakfast (every place except 1, staff handed you your breakfast items)

Best - Seattle - only place on entire trip with hot breakfast - scrambled eggs and bacon or sausage.

Worst - Redding - lots of cold choices, but we were allowed to grab our own food

People wearing masks

Most - Olympic National Park

Least - Stockton and small towns in Washington

Reliable bathroom opportunities

Most - rest areas along interstate 5

Least - California gas stations (many were "out of order")

Park experience

Best - Mt. St. Helens - very few people there due to coronavirus - I saw pictures from last year and observation decks were packed with people.

Mt. St. Helens

Worst - Cape Flattery - it is located on Indian Reservation and the reservation was still in Phase 1. We were turned back after an hour drive by police since we were not locals.

Dining

Best - Pastini - first sit down meal in 4 months! Seating was outside. All servers wearing masks, tables were wiped down between guests.

Worst - Oyster restaurant in small town - owner not wearing mask

Coronavirus precaution Items I brought

Best - hand sanitizer I placed in doors of car

Worst - wipes - never used them. We were very good about hand sanitizer and never saw a necessity for these.

Other coronavirus observations: many elevators had spots on floor where you were supposed to stand for social distancing purposes; one hotel said most were operating at 40% capacity or less; one gas station in WA gave out gloves so you could pump your gas; traffic was great- everywhere - even going into and out of San Francisco at rush hour on a Monday; and everywhere we went most people wore masks similar to what we see in Southern California - most people do, but there is that tiny minority that refuse.  Only in a couple of  businesses we found mask wearing lax and we abruptly left.

Being on the road filled us with a sense of freedom that we had not experienced in the last four months. I am ready for another one.

Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park

Coronavirus The World of Masks

Masks - the new "must have" in fashion. Almost everyone wears one now and almost every store and designer sells them. 

Whether it is Kim Kardashian at $8 a mask under her Skims line to the person down the street selling them on Etsy for $4 each to Supreme with their $120 mask.

People are hungry for masks. I remember a friend suggested that I buy a sewing machine and start selling masks online when the coronavirus hit. I laughed it off. I am not laughing now.

I bought a pair from Vons, my sister from the Disney store, and my mom a mask from Australia. People are even giving masks as presents. On Mother's Day, my wife was given a mask from the chic retailer Johnny Was. 

Some masks have adjustable straps, some have wires over the nose, some are cotton, some neoprene, some have coffee filters, the variations seem endless.

Then I heard about a trikini - a mask that matches your bikini. Serious check it out (photo from article):

https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/the-scene/meet-the-trikini-a-bikini-with-a-matching-face-mask/2374743/

Tiziana Scamuzzo/Elexia Beachwear

Most state and local governments require you to wear them, like California, and probably your boss too. Dr. Fauci told the Wall Street Journal the other day, "People keep talking about a second wave, we're still in the first wave."

In Hollywood, everyone on set will have to wear a mask until cameras are rolling at which point only those on screen can remove their masks. 

It seems like masks will be a high demand fashion accessory for quite awhile. And it appears suppliers big and small are meeting the demand.

Now if only the paper towel manufactures could do the same.

Which brings me to the next question. How many masks should a person have? I have four, plus two bandanas and another face covering. My wife has 1, plus two face coverings. My mom 7.

If only I had purchased that sewing machine…

I remember my boys years ago pointing out a woman who walked around our neighborhood wearing  a face shield and mask. How strange, I thought. Now I know she was just ahead of her time.

I hope that everyone is doing well and is enjoying their stylish masks.

Take care.

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