March 8, 2020
If you’re looking for another one of those “woe is me” blog posts about the COVID-19 Coronavirus, then you need to move on because this is definitely not it. In fact, I feel a rant coming on. By now, the whole frigging world knows about this virus and people are absolutely losing their minds and expecting a Dawn of the Dead zombie apocalypse. I am reading reports of people stockpiling crap as if the world is coming to an end. Stop the insanity already. Here is why l think we are hurting ourselves more than helping.
Travel In The Age Of Coronavirus:
I posted this video of Nonna (Grandma) on Facebook a few days ago to try and knock some sense into people. Yes, I know this Coronavirus is new and people are worried that we are doomed as a race, but really, if you calm down and think things out rationally, you should realize that this too shall pass.
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Firstly, we all need to stop this “I am an expert on the virus simply because l believe what l read online” or the my cousin’s sister in law’s boyfriend heard it from the pizza delivery guy that we are doomed, therefore it must be true mentality and actually listen to medical professionals… or to Nonna!
I am shocked at the fact that simple hygiene (that should be part of everyone’s daily routine needs to be highlighted and reiterated). Really! While it is understandable that we should be concerned about this novel virus, losing your mind is counterproductive. We know that the virus is here to stay.
Choosing not to travel in this age of the COVID-19 virus out of fear of catching it probably just means that you’ll catch it at home instead of on the road if you’re meant to catch it. Long time readers know that my motto is “I shall not fear. Fear is the mind killer”. l have written about it before.
Why Fear should have your ears, not your balls!
Valencia Fallas and Coronavirus: Have no fear
Our original plans had been to flee Valencia during the three weeks of Fallas fiesta. We’ve participated in it for three years and needed a break. Our friends in Portugal wanted this “new to them” experience. We arranged for them to watch the dogs while we took off for somewhere else, destination unknown at that point, (about six months ago). Turns out there was a travel blogger conference scheduled for around Fallas time and it was taking place in Sicily. Of course we decided to attend the conference and made our plans accordingly.
Related Reading: Fallas in Valencia
Fast forward to the hysteria of COVID-19 as the virus came to be known. Little by little, the momentum shifted and cancellations started happening at an alarming level and ultimately the conference was cancelled, along with the other huge one in Berlin.
My take on the whole Coronavirus thing?
I wrote something on Facebook about my suspicion of this whole thing being a stroke of genius, completely manufactured and very well executed plan of action by the big pharmaceutical companies (part of me still thinks so ).
The rich were going to get richer because their shares would go through the roof price wise, and the shareholders would be very happy indeed come dividend time and quarterly results. The market has indeed fallen, but the Biotech companies have had their prices going through the roof through all this. Follow the money l had said. Are they that evil you ask? Yes is my answer. Am l being paranoid? Maybe.
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What you should do about the Coronavirus:
- Stop panicking with the doomsday thinking
- Take extra precautions if you are a high risk group (elderly, immunocompromised etc.) as recommended by experts, not your hairstylist or bartender.
- Stop hoarding crap! You do know you can wash your bum with soap and water… right?
- Enough with this frigging masks already unless you’re about to rob a bank!
- Practice good hygiene – ALL THE TIME! Duh!
- Stop watching “those” movies. You know the ones l mean. “Contagion” for one.
- Don’t use it as an excuse to discriminate.
- Keep on living your life as best as you can.
The Show Must Go On: So Says Valencia
Ultimately, the city of Valencia decided to go ahead with Fallas. From what l understand, this biggest party of the year expects about two million visitors, up from one million last year. Are the citizens panicking? Not that l noticed. The crowds are ramping up and very few masks sighted.
I think at this point, trying to shove the genie back in the bottle is not working and life needs to go on. I am sort of proud of them to be honest. I also see that the city of Dublin has decided to go ahead with the St. Patrick’s Day festivities as of now. Perhaps we have seen the peak of panic? Really! How long can you ask people not to work, go out, go to school, stay at home with said kids, travel etc. etc? Indefinitely? I think not. We’ll see how many people actually attend Fallas.
Where are we?
In case you haven’t figured it out from the images, we are in Palermo, Italy and are having a wonderful time so far. Very few tourists unfortunately. Sucks for the small businesses and people that depend on the tourist dollars. We were talking to this guy who runs one of the most amazing dessert places that is attached to the Palermo Teatro and he was telling us how their business was devastated.
The lines that would ordinarily be flowing out the door was now a tiny trickle. All performances canceled and he was wondering “why the heck would they do that because of some coronaveerus? (because that is how Italians, including Federico, pronounce it). His words were a lot more colorful though..haha!
You might like: Verona Italy
Putting Things In Perspective with regards to the Coronavirus:
I was reading some online forum where the whole discussion was of course on the Coronavirus. Some guy volunteering in a third world country was saying how he teaches kids whose stomachs he could hear rumbling because they literarily did not know if they were going to have food for the day.
Kids who were hungry, but still had to go sell little things like gum and tissues after their classes in hopes of making enough money to be able to buy something to eat for the day. He said those kids didn’t care about some virus that they maybe/could/on some off chance might/perchance/possibly catch. They had too many pressing problems. Like hunger.
Think about THAT for a minute, and then thank your God for the good fortune you have to be able to whine about not being able to travel or how this virus is wrecking your life and the other hundreds of stupid, ridiculous and absolutely selfish reasons you can come up with.
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Did we do the right thing to travel in the age of Coronavirus hoopla?
Only time will tell. We could have canceled, stayed and mingled with the possibly millions of people descending upon Valencia or we could have hoarded crap and await the apocalypse. Meanwhile, we will continue to indulge in the wonderful Sicilian food and hospitality.
Hopefully, a food tour like we had in Rome will be on the itinerary even though l am beginning to doubt it. One thing l know for sure. If l’m going to be quarantined, I am totally okay with it being in this amazing part of the world with the other #TBEXsurvivors – I think maybe 20 of us left in total compared to the hundreds originally scheduled.
Here’s an idea. Start worrying about COVID-20. Too soon? 🙂 . Pretty sure there are many wishing me ill as they read this, but l think a voice of reason is needed right now, so suck it up buttercup! See you soon or not.
How has the Coronavirus affected your life and plans?
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This is definitely a sensitive topic, with most people already having made up their mind about how dangerous (or not) this new virus is. I would like to consider myself somewhere in the middle: I totally agree that the blind panic and fear-induced actions are counterproductive; but at the same time I think that treating this like it’s nothing is just as bad. I think that the best approach right now is with caution: take all the common sense precautions that you can (the ones you and every expert is mentioning) and enjoy life. This is not doomsday’s eve.
While I do believe that there’s potential here for this to turn into a catastrophic event, I also know that losing your mind won’t help at all. It’s pretty obvious also that there are fortunes to be made by pharmaceutical companies and I am sure that there will be a treatment or a vaccine (or both) sooner rather than later. And while I would have nothing against hunkering down and waiting for everything to pass, we’re clearly not there yet – but I’m closely monitoring the situation. Too much stress though can be just as harmful (if not worse) right now.
And looking at that cannoli, which is one of my favorite desserts, I do understand why you would choose not to let fear take over and prevent you from doing what you like. As long as you can say “No regrets” at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. (Note: You are still allowed to have a few regrets if you ate one too many cannoli haha). Enjoy and stay safe!
I agree that it is indeed a sensitive subject right now, and as the saying goes, opinions are like a*******es, everyone has one :-). This is what makes it all so confusing but l find it funny that people go all in for the bad stuff, or go all in for the good stuff and few are willing to look objectively. I guess it’s human nature to panic, but jeez… it’s getting worse as the days go by. I keep seeing videos of women (why is it always women) fighting for toilet paper! Common sense has completely gone out the window. I wonder if these same people are shopping for food?.
So far, I have no regrets about our decision. There is such a crush of people in Valencia right now for the Fallas, and it’s not even close to the number that will show up for the last week (15th-19). Chances of picking it up during that time is definitely greater than on this island. Either way, I think if you’re meant to catch it, not really much you can do as nobody knows 100% what is happening. What l do know is that it has ruined a lot of businesses and it is just the beginning.
Whatever happens, it is impossible to quarantine the world. At some point, we have to accept that it might be something we have to get used to. As you put it, I don’t think this is doomsday eve. Just listen to the experts and practice good hygiene is the best we can do.
So, there is a difference between panic and prudence. Venturing on a ship- where folks are kept together, with tons of doors, handrails, etc that one must touch is nto the place to be right now. The carriers have already proven time and again that they don’t keep their ships ship-shape. (There have been outbreaks of normal diseases due to the lack of simple hygiene [washing down the doors and handrails] for years. The same applies for most air carriers.
Nor would it prove prudent to join a festering mass of folks celebrating Mardi Gras or Haj- or, as many of my fellow religionists are discerning, a raucous, bawdy, alcohol laden feast of Purim at our synagogues.
Thanks for putting it in perspective Doc. It’s funny how many times l complained when traveling and having the planes take off not even 10 minutes after landing. The profits were too attractive l guess. I always wondered how they were able to clean the plane, and of course we know the answer is that they don’t :-(.
Valencia is still going ahead and the full week of celebration starts on the 15th for the finale. I didn’t realize there were other celebrations like Haj going full steam too. Purim sounds like a blast, one that l would give a miss too, just like the Fallas :-).
Bermuda checking in to say thanks to KemKem for a dose of reality. Panic, hoarding and overreacting is not viable when it replaces usie of basic common sense. If this virus happened to be a million dollar wad of cash,in circulation. given the current statistics, how many people could reasonably expect to pick oneup?
Go out and live your life sensibly. You should have learned good hygiene at an early age so you should be good.
I hope Bermuda remains one of the places not affected :-). I have precious family there. It’s amazing how panic seems to be just increasing instead of decreasing. It’s almost like people enjoy that and refuse to think of what damage they are causing. Hahah! I like your analogy of the wad of cash … hahah!!!.
Having to tell grown people to wash their hands and cover their mouths etc. in this day and age is just sad. I’m afraid there is little sense around. We seem to be going backwards at an alarming rate. That is scary.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Reason, thinking–most welcome and definitely things that are sadly lacking in far too many other folks.
We have a cruise scheduled and flights to the departure port, and a hotel stay the night before AND WE ARE NOT CANCELING. And we plan to quietly celebrate my middle-age birthday while on the cruise. As the song lyrics of Break My Stride:
Ain’t nothin’ gonna break-a my stride
Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no
I got to keep on movin’
Ain’t nothin’ gonna break-a my stride
I’m running and I won’t touch ground
Oh no, I got to keep on movin’
I love that song…and now it will be stuck in my head….haha! Waking up this morning to the news of the entire country lockdown, I am shocked but not surprised. Happy Birthday in advance. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time. I am just amazed that people are overreacting so much and not thinking clearly.
There will always be something and if we panic every time, we are going to be in for a rough time indeed. Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride either :-).
Hello from Greece where life is going on as normal. Plenty of toilet paper for sale and never did have hand wipes or sanitizers in our small grocery stores and as I wrote the box of disposable gloves I bought last week was dust covered. I am wondering however since today’s news (March 10) is that all of Italy is quarantined now with movement limited to getting to work if necessary, how are you being impacted as a traveler. Can you move about freely and any restrictions or checks when you entered the country?
Hi Jackie, so glad to hear that things are still fairly normal there. I think this panic is doing worse than the virus in my opinion and it just feeds on itself. I was saying the quarantine is a sort of Chinese torture. Restricted movement and being stuck at home with 24 hours nonstop information on the Coronavirus instilling even more fear in people. The first day of the quarantine was kind of quiet (more cops than people) but the second day there were loads of people out.
I think it is going to be hard to keep people inside all the time. I can only assume it will get worse as cops have started asking people to go back home and have checkpoints. We left just in time but l still maintain that it is overkill. When we entered, they did take our temperature and on the way out, we had to fill a form with address and telephone number and reason for leaving which l assume they keep in case someone turns positive so they can trace people.
I’m writing from Milan. We are now forced to stay at home basically because our hospitals cannot accommodate sick people anymore. We don’t have enough respirators for all patients and when faced with a choice, doctors have to leave older people without oxygen (and die) because younger people take precedence. There are doctors and nurses who are making gruelling shifts and every day they risk their lives and those of their families. And I really hope that the epidemic does not reach the south (Palermo, for example) because they are not even remotely close to the health system of Lombardy, in the Milan region. And all because people don’t want to change habits, give up programs and obey. You are risking other peoples lives. Just be aware of that.
Thanks for the input. I stand my feelings and observations that the hysteria is too much. Everyone makes their own choices. As long as you can be aware of homeless deaths, abuse deaths, starvation deaths and all the other things that kill more people yearly in Italy then l can be aware of this risk of the Coronavirus.
Kemkem, we are currently in Vietnam and have decided to continue with our travels as planned. Tourism has been badly affected here, it is sad for the people who depend so much on the tourism industry. We had never expected that something so small (virus) can cause so much worldwide havoc. But like you I am puzzled about all the panic buying that is going on in some places. Here we are being asked to wear the face masks in certain places and we are often pointed towards the hand gels. Are you in Palermo at the moment?
Same for Italy. The amount of travelers have become a trickle indeed. The restaurant industry as well as other small businesses are never going to recover if they keep this up. It’s crazy the amount of paranoia. It’s insane that we ignore higher rate deaths (starvation, domestic abuse, homicides, gun deaths etc.) but this has caused so much havoc. It’s insane. The Italians are asked to stay home and all TV stations talk about the virus 24/7.
We got out on one of the last flights out and are currently in Marseille as that was the only choice. We will make our way home slowly. My fear is that the devastation caused will be worse than the virus. Today we were reading about some kids out of school who decided to attack an old man out of boredom. I fear a lot more of this is going to happen.