What are we to do? As a time traveler to your 21st century, I admit I have not seen anything quite like this in your modern times. I understand that diseases like Ebola and HIV/AIDS caused similar panics, but nothing as far-reaching, fast-growing, and global as this one.
In my own times, as I’ve mentioned before, the smallpox epidemic of the 1730s claimed huge numbers of lives, including my own newborn son Francis Franklin. But today’s situation far overshadows that plague, largely because of the sheer numbers being affected and the speed with which the coronavirus is spreading. The world is now a much larger, more densely populated place than it used to be in the 18th century.
Where to go, what to do?
One natural tendency is what some experts have called “fight or flight.” In other words, some people may be inclined to run and hide, while others prefer to stand and put up a fight. Neither is wrong; they’re both built into our human bodies, for better or worse.
If you’re fleeing, where can you go? In my birth state of Massachusetts, some more fortunate citizens who own second homes on “the islands” (Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, etc.) have been witnessed traveling to these more remote, isolated locales — so many so, in fact, that the governor of Massachusetts made a public statement urging these affluent escapees to remain on the mainland, where are there more resources available to them should they become sick...plus, they won’t overtax the facilities of the islands, which are presently under-served and understaffed because it’s the off-season, when restaurants, stores, clinics, and merchants are typically closed down or operating on limited hours.
I suppose you could climb into your car, recreational vehicle, SUV, or other modern conveyance and head for the hills. Of course, there might be a run on tents and other camping gear, I fear, as folks stock up on ready-to-eat meals and such. And, with many non-essential businesses closing down because of state-mandated lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders, you probably won’t find much available wherever you’re going. (Major chains such as REI and Patagonia have already closed all their stores.) So you may have to survive on edible plants, berries and nuts.
Re-opening old fallout shelters might be another possibility. Or taking up residence in your cellar or basement, as is done during tornadoes and hurricanes, is an additional option.
Seriously, people?
But, in case you hadn’t picked up on my joking tone above, I’m not really advising that you flee the area to stay out of harm’s way. As the scientists and medical professionals have told us, it is better to shelter in place rather than to create additional problems by evacuating.
A famous person (I think it was what you moderns call a "movie star") once said, "You can run, but you can't hide." It's wiser to make the best of the situation and stay home if you can, or be very cautious if you're still working, and not to let the virus get the better of us. You might even discover that this massive, world-wide slowdown and turning inwards has its benefits. Like reconnecting with family and friends, learning new skills, rediscovering old hobbies and interests, getting out of the rat race, and finding inner peace...at last!
Stay safe and healthy, my friends!
Your humble servant,
B.Franklin
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