In some countries, and in some American states, Covid-19 is marching on, infecting and killing at a substantial pace. In other places, like mine, here in Wallowa County in eastern Oregon, Covid whimpers—infecting occasionally, as does the flu or pneumonia, killing an aging or medically compromised person here and there. Long haulers? We’ve had mild after-cases, including my grandson’s, but not the more serious life-threatening ones. We read about them, but I don’t know anyone personally with severe heart and lung issues.
But I’ll not be going to to Arkansas or Missouri soon—or to Wyoming or India. Last spring’s cancelled trip to Turkey is dreamed again, but the Chinese vaccine used extensively there has problems; Covid is still going strong in Istanbul. Time will tell; spring is months away.
In any case, Covid is rarely a headline now, even in my own life. Yesterday in the Safeway a friend with a mask on saw that I didn’t have one and asked rhetorically if it was ok, as she took hers off. I keep mine in my pocket, I told her. If it gets crowded here or somewhere else, if I sense danger, I’ll put it on.
So Covid-19 is banging away in India and Brazil, Wyoming and Arizona. It’s whimpering elsewhere. It’s being drowned out by record high temperatures, building collapses, and the end to a troubling 20 years in Afghanistan. Drowned out too by a booming economy.
How do I know the economy is booming? On the Rez at milepost 216 out of Pendleton, McDonalds wants night shift workers at $17 per hour. Hiring signs are out all over Wallowa and Union counties. I don’t know about Arkansas.
The continuing pandemic—in the US at least—competes for news-time. Flareups will continue, as flareups of measles, TB, and whooping cough do. But the building collapse in Florida—and the possible impacts on other Florida housing projects and seaside real estate in general, are making louder noises.
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