The first week of a pandemic

It’s been a week (March 11) since the World Health Organization declared the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, as a global pandemic. In less than four months since the first COVID-19 case was reported in China, more than a hundred countries across the globe have now reported cases. As of now, nearly 8,000 people have died from the new coronavirus. The U.S. reports its 100th death, with all 50 states now having confirmed cases.

The Washington DC area (DC, MD, VA) has officially gone into self-isolation mode this week, and most non-essential businesses in the area have practically shutdown. In the last 24-hours, I’ve received numerous emails from businesses that have not yet closed, informing their customers, that they are indeed closing (i.e. Uniqlo, Nordstroms) moving forward. Many of them don’t have definite re-open days. Most of the world does not have a ‘no more outbreak’ date either.

Even newsrooms, which usually function fully in dire times, have reduced staff in the office and have cut non-essential travel—basically all travel. Since last week, all my shoots and travel plans for work have been cancelled.

My newsroom has also reduced the number of staffing in the building, and every time we come in, we’re mandated to get our body temperatures checked. We’ve been supplied with face masks, hand sanitizer, Clorox and alcohol wipes. We were also told to practice #social-distancing in our open floor-plan office, so some have moved their working area to other locations in the building. My team, the General News crew, which produce and provide content for what goes live in our TV newscasts, is mostly on a 4-day/10-hour workweek. Like much of the world—I’m in odd working conditions I’ve never experienced before.

As much as I hear stories of xenophobia, racism, hoarding and selfishness, and ignorance (i.e. people still going to bars and socializing in big groups with their friends), which get me so infuriated—I am also grateful to hear stories of solidarity shown by different people across the country, and across the globe.

Here in Washington DC, famed chef Jose Andres has turned his closed restaurants into ‘to-go’ kitchens for those in need. Yes, this is not something smaller restaurants or many non-celebrity chefs can handle, but at least Chef Andres is using his powers to do what he can. I’m thankful to hear of other makeshift cafeterias and kitchens forming at shutdown schools to make sure students are still able to eat during these times.

The stories of Chinese medical staff arriving in Italy with supplies to help Europe’s outbreak epicenter (more than 1,000+ dead so far) are also encouraging. They may get a lot of name-calling or blame, but politics aside, China is showing humility and support to other countries that are reaching out for help. China has also sent medical experts and supplies to Iran, a country which has been suffering from shortages of supplies and a high death count. Iran reports nearly 1,000 deaths.

The coronavirus has hit the world like a huge tsunami that is not stopping— the wave first hit China; then its surrounding Asian neighbors, and then the Middle East. The rest of the world then saw the tsunami crash into Europe, then the U.S., and to Africa. Outside of Antarctica, no continent has been spared.

It’s a global crisis, a common thread that is affecting practically every single individual—no matter race, ethnicity or social status. It’s flip-flopping lives and changing the trajectory of the world economy. I watched from my screens on how China put millions of people on lockdowns, especially during their biggest holiday, the Lunar New Year. It’s actually hard to imagine the U.S. enforcing similar methods-but I feel like we’re not far from it. Watching and hearing stories of Chinese citizens singing on their balconies seemed like a faraway reality. The same thing is happening in Italy. And I won’t be surprised to soon see citizens in New York City congregating on their own balconies to dance or sing.

In some odd way, these tragic circumstances are also helping us to empathize and sympathize with one another. In a time where empathy seems lacking in so many facets of the world, it’s nice that the empathy in our hearts can grow and be massaged during these challenging times.

Here in the U.S., it looks like Americans are uniting about feeling lonely and tired of self-isolating (which has only been in place for two weeks at most!); and parents are uniting with one another in being stressed about homeschooling their children, while being on the clock.

It’s been one week since the coronavirus has been called a pandemic. Two days since the Washington DC area has been telecommuting, and one day since the U.S. has urged the public to practice social distancing for at least the next 15 days. The circumstances are rapidly changing by the day- at times, by the hour- so I can’t even imagine what next week will look like. How many more death spikes will we see in the U.S.? Or in Italy? Will Iran be doing better? How about Africa?

For now, I will self-isolate at home when I’m not working, and try to stay healthy— both physically and mentally (a lot of cooking, walks outside, listening to music, and journaling!). And when I do have to go out, and be at work, I’ll be vigilantly wiping down the shared editing bays with Clorox wipes, keep my co-workers at a distance, and regularly pop in that Vitamin C. As much as this is something I will eventually get used to doing, I am praying this ‘new norm’ will not eventually be the norm for the foreseeable future.