Disruptor

This post is for anyone to read, but I am writing it only as a contextual reminder for my own future reading: 

On December 31, 2019, a pneumonia of unknown cause was reported to the World Health Organization’s country office in Whuhan, China. On January 30, 2020, WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. On March 1, 2020, the U.S. President declared a national state of emergency. Each state has also declared a state of emergency and has issued varying levels of public safety and public health warnings and guidances.

Generally, from March to June (or further) ... Schools and libraries closed. Non-essential businesses (theme parks, department stores, movie theatres, hair & nail salons, etc) closed. Essential businesses (restaurants, liquor & grocery stores, gas stations, certain doctor offices) are open, with restrictions on hours and types of service. Residents are under order to stay home unless they are engaging in an essential activity. Each state differs on what counts, but in general they agree that grocery shopping and going to work (if to an essential business) is essential. 

Entertainment and travel industries have ground to a halt. Food service and hospitality business models have changed drastically. Unemployment in the U.S. jumped and the market tumbled, reversing years of growth. 

The Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has been and will likely persist as the most significant international disruptor for a generation. 

At the individual level, people are losing housing and businesses are closing because they cannot pay rent. Instead of flocking to big name cities for shiny new jobs, high school and college graduates are staying or returning to their hometowns to live with and/or support their families. Hospitals and mortuaries are overwhelmed with victims of the virus - some because of their direct contact with a carrier, others with the harm caused to or by themselves due to fear and anger. 

The first half of 2020 has certainly been a different experience than anyone in our lifetimes would have imagined. But our universal rallying cry, which I hope we keep, has been: We are all in this together.