Long range contact of viral threat

Yesterday at work, I completed a spread sheet on potential lost booking for our rental facility due to the coronavirus threat.  At final count, $136,000 just for the months of March and April.  Since I work in a city job and was the most recent hire this year, I'm also looking at a layoff.

The residual effects of this virus will be felt in far-reaching ripples.  Our downtown Kent neighbor is host to one of the quarantine centers, which will mean a veritable ghost town for businesses north of Kent on Central Ave.  Whether due to overcaution or fear or panic, I can see the Denny's and Mitzel's near by suffering.

Last week, when our for a round of errands, we started thinking about where to get a quick dinner.  And a discussion started about the impact the virus may have on minimum wage food service workers who can't afford to stay home from work, may be providing care for children or elderly adults to supplement income and may not notice emerging symptoms or try to mask them to keep earning wages.  We ended up going to Mod Pizza figuring the wood fired oven and gloves on all staff would eliminate most of the germs.

The biggest threat is to our homeless population.  Just waiting for a short sighted political pundit to quip about this being the answer to the homeless problem - a good case of plague to wipe the slate clean. Homeless populations often already suffer from poor health, chronic coughs, lack of means to properly clean and fight germs.    I had an awful dream where tainted hand sanitizer was distributed to homeless shelters, akin to the smallpox blankets that wiped out entire Indian tribes - a story often attributed to myth, but what do the Native American history books say?

My own feelings on the viral threat alternate between complacency and moments of panic.  I carry Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer with me.  Tend to overthink fast food choices based on past history of cleanliness and food borne illness issues.  Order food that has been minimally handled by humans, etc.
If this is what's going to take us out, then so be it.  We've survived SARS, Avian Flu, annual flu and other maladies.

The true test is how will we extend ourselves to care for others if faced with the challenge.  People have needed better hand washing protocol for 50 years, so if that improves as a result of this viral threat, so much the better.