Today’s an important day for Los Angeles County, which has for months been California’s coronavirus epicenter. Deaths related to the virus have dropped. And since June, new cases and transmission rates are seeing low numbers. This afternoon, county health officials will decide if more businesses can open, including indoor shopping malls, hair salons, and barbershops.
But this decision comes just ahead of Labor Day weekend. It’s my hope we won’t have a repeat of the regrettable post-Memorial Day coronavirus resurge when the opening of beaches and bars around the country resulted in high numbers of new coronavirus cases and deaths.
We can’t afford another miscalculation.
Sadly, without a national plan in place for a coordinated fight against the spread of the virus, states and counties, in a hopscotch manner, are doing the best they can. No matter how much businesses need to open their doors (we get it, we are small business owners ourselves), we can’t afford the setback.
But by the looks of the county’s low numbers, this could mean the majority of our citizenry has been heeding the call to wear face coverings and to social distance – the keys to keeping businesses open long term, not to mention vigilant hand washing.
Like yogi practitioners, we have to breathe deeply, be calm, and be patient. Perhaps that’s why a rogue seedling appeared in our yard a few months ago. It grew so fast with beautiful yellow flowers. We decided not to pull it out of the ground, but instead watched it transform. What is it? Zucchini or another kind of squash? Within weeks, a precious little green ball took shape getting bigger and changing color. It’s a pumpkin! I can’t wait to put it on our front porch – but not before it’s ready.
Perhaps our little pumpkin – soon to be a big and healthy one – is on full display in our front yard to remind us that patience, not rushing, is what will get us through Covid.
Washing Hands + Wearing a Mask + Social Distancing = Saving Lives