Pandemic 2020 Local Update

Today, I made four more fabric masks.  As the experts are now saying, although the masks cannot protect the wearer from virus, they may offer some protection to others from droplets given off by the wearer through sneezing, coughing, or even talking.  So I made 3 prototypes yesterday, one from a you tube instruction using a bandana (very bulky and way too big) and two from my own ideas, not very successful but I learned from them, and they could be worn.  I mailed my prototypes to my daughter who has some good masks from her local hardware store but I told her to save them or give them to anyone who has no mask.
Today I had two errands to run and I used my mask at both of them; the post office and the ShopRite.  The Post office was surprisingly busy with at least 4 people in there when I got there.  We all stayed 6 feet apart and we all wore masks.  
The ShopRite was my most dangerous exposure because I read today on my local e-mail update that a case of corona virus had been tested at my local ShopRite - a cashier.  Of course, last week or the week before would have been the most dangerous times since that is when she/he would have been most contagious and asymptomatic.  I was there last Monday, but, I may not have been in that cashier's line, and that cashier may not have been on duty when I was there.  Anyhow, you can't avoid what you can't predict.
Everyone at ShopRite today had on both masks and gloves.  
My mask was annoying because my hair kept working its way out of the tie and falling in my eyes while I was looking on the shelves.
I bought brown rice, coffee, dog food, dog biscuits, cheese,  crackers, almond butter, chocolates (for my Easter Basket), hot chocolate, and I can't remember what else, but I forgot the pickles.  An article I read said to eat fermented foods to strengthen your gut biome to fight the virus, and those foods were sauer kraut, pickles, and kim chee (an Asian food I think is like horse radish).  Anyhow I forgot the pickles and now I really want them.
The masks took about 20 minutes apiece and if I had elastic, I could have made better ones.  I may try some more tomorrow!  At least my cloth masks are superior in effect than the common home-made ones which are single ply but look much better than mine.  Mine are doubled cloth, two-ply hence safer.
Well, now it has been 6 weeks since all this began in earnest in my life.  
Of course, the first time I heard about it was in January at the nail salon where I go to get a pedicure once a month because I can no longer cut my own toe nails because my spine is too stiff, my knees don't bend enough, and I can't see (the cornea disease I have).  The man who did my toenails told me he was worried because all the workers in this salon were Chinese and many had gone and returned from China for Lunar New Year and many family members were here from China to visit for this very big holiday.  We both had heard about the virus there that began in a 'barbaric' wet market, a place where they keep animals and particularly wild animals in cages and slaughter them to order on the spot.  It was said to have crossed over from Civet Cats or Pangolins.  The idea of this cruelty towards these helpless animals filled me with rage, and I thought they deserved to get sick, then their evil spread throughout the world.  So many diseases have sprung from human cruelty to other animals, like Syphilus from men raping the sheep they were supposed to be shepherding.  Then of course, there was AIDS from the monkeys raiding garbage hills in Africa, swine flu, bird flu.  Maybe Mother nature is punishing her misguided children.
This week was supposed to be the worst week to date.  I can't remember the figures except one - a month ago, 12 people died of corona, and a month later, 12,000 were dead.  In my county, 600 are sick and it is now in every neighboring town, Bellmawr, Haddon Twp., Haddonfield, Camden City.  
I have watched a lot of tv, most recently, PBS World On Fire about WWII, The Hunters (a kind of comic book like show) based on Nazi hunters in America, Unorthodox (a girl escapes the SatMar Hassidic community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and my favorite - High Maintenance, a pot selling bike guy brings us into the homes of his many interesting clients.
I read the Sunday paper, The Week magazine, and finished the non-fiction book STOLEN.  Tonight I begin a new book and look for a new tv series.
Today I spoke to my sister, Nancy Thomas, Jackie Brady, and my brother Joe.  This week I spoke to Cousin Patty, Chris Borjet, and my old gym buddy Joanne Spector.  I am tired, bored, dispirited and eating out of control.  I keep thinking about smoking but so far, I have been able to hold off on buying cigarettes!
April 7, Tuesday, 8:00 p.m.
Happy Trails, Stay Safe and Well my friends,
Jo Ann
wrightj45@yahoo.com