One upside of the pandemic has been a renewed focus on personal hygiene, something the many of us–myself included–often neglected prior to COVID-19. But despite my best efforts, I’m sick…we are not invincible.
Over the years, the stress of running a business, lack of sleep, and poor hygiene habits have led a compromised immune system and frequent colds. This year has been a welcome relief. Simple steps like thoroughly washing my hands before touching food and actively avoiding touching my face have left me sickness-free all year. What a wonderful change of pace, even as the virus permeates around us and my stress-levels have reached all-time highs.
But my streak ran out this week. My son is in preschool and came home with a cold. I got it. My wife got it. My daughter got it. Now we all have it. It isn’t much…runny nose, cough…but it’s amazing how foreign this seems when you have been well for so long.
(as an aside, the coronavirus test came back negative…we checked)
* * *
News that President Trump, his wife, and top aides have contracted COVID-19 is not exactly surprising considering how bold the president has been in disregarding social distancing and mask protocol that may not always stop the virus, but certainly acts as barriers to it.
While I send my prayers for speedy recover to the President, it has once-again highlighted that COVID-19 is real, particularly to the man who downplayed its significance.
There should be no victory lap that Trump is sick. But I do hope the incident leads to a bit of self-reflection and humility. Despite being in several high-risk groups, I expect the POTUS to make a full recovery. I also doubt it will have an impact on the outcome of the election.
It should, however, have an impact on how we approach the virus. Going back to spring, I bemoaned that authorities have treated this virus not just as a health problem, but a political problem. Indeed, it has become a political problem…a big one…but it did not start that way and need not stay that way.
It’s time for a little national unity. Let’s take this virus seriously both from a pathological perspective and an economic perspective. A cost/benefit analysis should have been avoided, but here we are. By taking it seriously, we can best overcome it. That starts by recognizing it is real. By federal, state, and local governments working together, we can create a national testing regime that will minimize risk and provide the same level of testing that the President enjoys now. That will inspire confidence in the economy, open borders, and bring back travel.
CONCLUSION
We’ve been isolating for a few days and are all feeling much better today. Hopefully by tomorrow we’ll be fully better. Sleep is the most important antidote to the cold. But unity inspired by shared purpose is the most important antidote for our very sick United States of America. Without being hopelessly naive, I hope that one upside to the this dreadful week will be a bit of humility and a pivoting toward solutions, even in the midst of a contentious presidential election. Voters will hold leaders accountable for their actions. That is the essence of our duty as voters. But seeking consensus even now should not be seen as antithetical to that endeavor.
Hope you get better soon! Consider wearing a mask at home to cut down the viral load that is being coughed. Open the window.
Even though the Covid-19 test is normal, it could still be Covid-19 due to the test being run too early. But the treatment to the common cold and mild to moderate Covid-19 is the same, stay home. So testing isn’t as great as people make it out to be. Besides, look at Trump. They were testing daily or sometimes twice a day. Day 1 ok, day 2 ok, etc. Then coronavirus got up Trump’s nose before the spreader tested positive. This is the fallacy of testing for Covid-19. It’s not an early warning but a snail mail letter that you are sick.
As far as Trump, if he gets put on a ventilator or even dies, it will help the Republicans and hurt the Democrats. Currently, Biden is on his way to a landslide. He has his usual base plus a number of people who simply think Trump is too abrasive and nasty. If Trump is out of the picture, a few people will think “this Pence guy is normal, maybe ok” and vote for him. That small percentage could result in a razor thin Pence victory. So it’s paradoxical. Like Trump’s administration, hope he really gets sick. Hate Trump’s administration, hope he gets well very soon.
Thanks Derek. We don’t have window screens in our house. I need to work on that…
The only way Biden wins in a landslide is if they pull off what Ilhan Omar did across all of the swing states.. and I dont put it past them given the voting issues I’ve been reading about the past few weeks.
Funny, last time I checked it was only a Republican that has ever been charged with ballot harvesting and vote meddling.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/30/us/mccrae-dowless-indictment.html
Matthew, please get well soon. Being human has its ups and downs. Your point about it being too political rings so true. The minute health professionals tell us it is dangerous to be in groups except if it to support a specific group’s point of view, many people stop listening. The minute someone tells us N95 masks helps those around you, you stop listening. The minute flu-related deaths as they are all COVID, you stop listening. The minute someone tells you to stay off the dry sand but the wet sand is OK, you stop listening. It is the same when someone makes a statement about vote meddling as if it is a fact.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/docs/pacei-voterfraudcases.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0kPCSmTRe6j8wTeMdI73IljE5xLkOQAk_L31lnbIBmh9Jnn5CJDt9Esvk
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/23/former-congressman-indicted-voter-fraud-bribery-charges-379935
All Democrats but CNN left that “fact” out
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/25/politics/new-jersey-attorney-general-announces-voting-fraud-charges/index.html
I am far more sick of seeing any freedoms left being viciously ripped away using this parhogen as an excuse which makes the events of 19 years ago seem like a walk in the park.
I am glad that I am older as I am sick with fear as to the ensuing March.
Isn’t it interesting? I have two kids, and in the past 6 months we’ve been in the best health ever. Yet I’d trade it all for them to be able to go to school and the YMCA and whatnot and maybe bring home a regular old cold virus occasionally.
Where do you live, Jimmy? Even in California our local YMCA and my son’s school has re-opened. (The YMCA has moved gym equipment outdoors, creating an outdoor workout area).
@ Matthew — It is definitely time for national unity — to remove THE WROST PRESIDENT EVER from office. Hopefully, it will be at the ballot box, not by illness. I want the jerk to have to endure rejection by the American people. Plus, he can’t serve his prison term if he is too sick or dead.
WORST not WROST! Ha.
RE: we are not invisible. Invincible?
I’m also not invisible! 😉
I hope you and your family feel better soon, Matthew. I normally have allergies in the spring due to pollen but ever since I started wearing a facial mask, I didn’t have any allergy issues (so yes, I plan to wear a face mask during pollen season even after this pandemic is over.)
Thanks Joey!
In case this helps, from the local paper where Trump attended a fundraising this week.
“ A St. Paul philanthropist and political donor who attended a Shorewood fundraiser with President Donald Trump shortly before his COVID-19 diagnosis was revealed said Saturday that guests were all tested beforehand and were careful about social distancing.
Houle said in a phone interview that guests were told to arrive at least an hour ahead of start time, and wait in their cars.
“They gave us the test in our cars, and it took about 20 minutes and they came back and told us if we were OK or not. And everyone was,” she said. The fundraiser was in a dining room with about 40 guests in all, she said. Trump spoke and took questions but did not get too close to any guests, she said.”
Hope you and your family get better soon.
Thanks Santastico.
Having a cold can be a miserable experience, unfortunately one that gets worse with age.
I caught one back in March. I was surprised because all the things I’d been doing to avoid potential COVID exposure were essentially the same as those to minimize the risk of other viral illnesses
In that regard, the only positive from the COVID experience, at least during the Australian winter, has been the dramatic decline in deaths from the seasonal flu ( as people take much better precautions, have less exposure to others, plus a very high rate of vaccination). So while 900 COVID deaths is terrible, the ‘gain’ is just a couple of thousand flu fatalities versus an expected /usual 20-30,000.
Not even the most strident critics of Trump would wish him anything other than a speedy and full recovery.
This is what I like about Matthew. Even though he’s clearly on the right (of center…) he is reasonable, pragmatic, etc. There’s no reason to wish Trump death (just check out twitter for some of that), but, equally, he is the person who is primarily responsible for the COVID disaster in the US
Wrong. Trump may have downplayed the virus but each state in the US makes their own decisions. Our Governor here for example closed down the entire state but took way too long to mandate masks. He told each school district to make their own decision in opening or not. And BTW he is a Democrat.
I’m afraid you’re wrong. The fact that each state in the US makes its own decisions, with no unified federal gov response, is why we are in this mess in the first place.
Unfortunately, all the states are stuck together. We can’t avoid each other or impose border restrictions. So the only option is to work together and have 1 plan despite political differences. What good does it do for (I’m just using examples here) Rhode Island to have a great pandemic response if New York had an atrocious one, and each state has different policies, if people can travel freely between the two?
The job of the federal government is to provide that approach, not downplay the virus, make fun of masks, fail on PPE, fail on testing, etc.
Tens of thousands of deaths could have been avoided if POTUS had simply told his sycophants “wear a mask please”, and hadn’t called it a hoax for months.
The fish rots from the head.
As usual, you are full of conjecture and no fact. Pathetic. Perhaps you could explain why the whole country has been wearing masks for months now and yet the number of cases does not decline? Perhaps the masks are not as effective as you think they are.
Ralph Northam in Virginia? He’s the governor with the black face mask, right?
If you think the “whole country” has been wearing masks, you’re the one who has no facts and hasn’t been paying attention.
Get well, Matthew.
And I agree, let’s hope this is a “teaching moment” for the rest of the country. Albeit late, and at the cost of many of the 200K+ that have died because of an unwillingness to accept science.
Will add this, while your sentiments are nice, Matthew. Here is what is happening now. And the reality.
“If this virus can get into the Oval, into the body of the president, there’s no place where it could not possibly infect one of our fellow Americans,” Gaetz said Friday night on Fox News, calling on the country to fully open as it protects those most vulnerable.
Thanks Stuart.
And the flipside is millions suffered job losses because the media overhyped and continue to overhype this issue to ad nauseum. Even CNN got rid of their daily Covid death counter because they knew how dumb they were looking when the death counts slowed down dramatically.
Let this be a lesson to all: Everyone is going to get it, but dont prevent other people from making a living because you think the world revolves around you. If you’re in the “high risk” category, STAY HOME. The CCP virus isnt going away because that’s how the CCP designed it.
Let me guess – you get your news from an unhealthy mix of OANN and Faux News? Maybe QAnon fanboy sites since you think China somehow designed this pandemic?
Truly pathetic – glad your ilk will be going back underground in about a month.
I am no fan of the President, but I certainly wish him well. As I wish no one any kind of sickness. To blame the President for this mess is ridiculous. Biden would have done no better. Pelosi herself was out touting how people should go to about their business having fun while the President shut down the border with the source. My point being….there is enough blame on all elected officials. It is a virus. It spreads. There is no stopping it. The best we can do is learn to live with it as best possible and to make decisions based on YOUR comfort level and your overall health. And not make Covid deaths the only deaths that matter. There are consequences to other lives when we unrealistically shut it all down.
Matthew, been reading this blog a while, and must’ve missed the post when you had your daughter! A very late congratulations to you and your wife!
Thank you John F!
Science told us social distancing was important yet BLM gathered up vulnerable populations and crowded them into the streets. And the activists moved city to city. Many in the party of the jackass were not following science as well as many in the party of the elephant. For that matter, many around the world were not following science as isolation and quarantine were disregarded by the likes of the newsworthy Cuomo in New York, airline pilots in Asia and tourists from England who visited Spain and illegally refused mandatory 14 day isolation. More testing is the war cry of the party of the jackass, yet we know testing does not protect with certainty. Masking is the war cry of Biden, yet masking does not protect with certainty, either. Isolation and quarantine work well, as China has shown, but in a country where protests, riots, looting and burning seem to be the norm in Democrat controlled cities good luck getting that accomplished.
Masking probably wouldn’t have led to a super spreader event in the Rose Garden a week ago and your beloved POTUS ending up in Walter Reed…yet you continually deflect with a nonsensical BLM argument.
Nov 4th is going to be a rough day for you I predict. Enjoy being on the wrong side of history!
Oh, and that famous “liberal rag” Forbes quotes study evidence that full disproves your “theory” too. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/07/01/research-determines-protests-did-not-cause-spike-in-coronavirus-cases/#4b040a0b7dac
Must be hard to always be coming up with “alternative facts”.
Not hard as an old auditor and fraud examiner to find facts. And also as an old Journalism school graduate to see current bias in the press.
Two points – UA-NYC (1) makes the assumption that the Rose Garden event was a superspreader – the jury is still not out and (2) that the study the Forbes article notes was not peer-reviewed. Digging a little deeper Scientific American https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-evaluate-coronavirus-risks-from-black-lives-matter-protests/ notes the difficulty in assessing the situation as the protests have occurred against the backdrop of states reopening and that it is somewhat difficult to disentangle cases directly arising from the protests versus just opening up of society in general.
The article also notes that the protesters are generally young. That means that many of them won’t have symptoms, or will have symptoms that are mild enough that they don’t go to a health care facility, so then [the cases wouldn’t be recorded] so the impact of the protests—or of any of these gatherings, whether it’s Memorial Day weekend or just reopening— might take a little while to reach the people who will show up at the hospital who are elderly and otherwise unhealthy populations. So a protest could essentially be a superspreader with a delayed payload. UA-NYC has disproved nothing. As for November 4, there will be an election, not the coming of the messiah.
Oh sweet irony, “fraud examiner”, lol…sure, definitely not a superspreader event, except for the 8 people and counting in the first few rows who got Covid, then the other people in the WH, then the 11 people in Cleveland who got it while setting up for the debates, etc.
#AlternativeFacts indeed
Protests (Riots) in which hundreds, or even thousands of people crowded into the streets did not cause a spike in coronavirus and and yet a rose garden ceremony did? I see your penchant for doublethink is alive and well.
Man, you are in for a crushing blow as a true Trump Sycophant in 27 days…pretty sure you’re one of the MAGA mouth breathers who said there was no way he was going to lose. LOL.
I guess the Rose Garden event didn’t seemingly end the Trump campaign and take out key members of his operation. #AlternativeFacts strike again!
The real question is do people want to lose their freedoms over a virus that for 95% produces symptoms no greater than a slight cold. That’s exactly what has been pushed by one segment of the population that wants to grow government power over our lives permanently. The alarm and hype by the media and politicized bureaucrats make us panic about a fever or cough but chances are we’ve had 1 every year for all our lives. Only high risk groups have more to worry about but they had to worry before just as well; old people get pneumonia/flu and die. Immunocompromised people always have to be vigilant and stay away from sick people. It’s nothing new. What’s new is having our country shutdown and lockdown when the average person has no risk greater than a cold. Are we okay with people being arrested for visiting friends and family on private property, people being arrested for not wearing a mask, or having small businesses permanently destroyed when there are many people willing to voluntarily and consensually enter the establishments and live their lives. I’m not.
One segment of the population is apparently ok with millions of protesters burning down businesses, vandalizing neighborhoods, and attacking civilians, but allowing them to visit a hair salon or gym is too much of a risk. The lack of concern about millions of protesters filling the streets with violence but extreme concern about opening a gym or hair salon demonstrates how disingenuous those politicians, media figures, institutional health officials, and bureaucrats are.
This isn’t about “freedom” Jackson Henderson. Neither are seatbelts. It’s a matter of public safety. America has no national plan to deal w/Covid. At present, 208,000 dead Americans. Over a million dead around the world. 7 million Americans have Covid. “Wear the damn mask.” Chris Wallace, FOX.
ps-Mr Jackson Henderson conflates millions of people who peacefully protested George Floyd’s murder (it’s on video tape), the latest in a string of black people being murdered since 1619. As to the criminals who burned or vandalized, and the number is small, they should be thrown in jail for a long time.
As a masker and high risk individual for about half my life, I personally find masks work great for allergies and asthma. My Japanese SO has no problems with them as they are commonly used in Asia. That said, they do not make you bullet proof at all. In areas of high humidity and other situations where you sweat, the masks become an ineffective barrier. Avoidance, aka social distancing, is more effective. That is the inconvenient truth for the BLM supporters as well as anyone who attends crowded events.
bigbirdsilverwings guy – you 1000 word bleeding-heart post could’ve been summed in in 3 words:
“I support BLM”
Fool John B: arithmetic is not that hard! Less than 100 words. 3 word summation:
“Wear a mask!”
ps-and socially distance!!!
or just take a helicopter ride to Walter Reed and pray they admit you and that you wake up tomorrow instead of dying tonight
Thanks for the reminder that sleep is so important (as I write this comment at about 8:20 PM while relaxing in bed).
All the best to you and your family. Get well soon!
Thanks brother! I’m off to bed now.
Speedy recovery.
Welcome to the world of small kids. Once in school they will bring home every illness the other kids have and give it to you. Just a fact of parenthood.
True. My friend who lives in Houston, every year they have flu from her 8 year old son who brought influenza back to school! In 2017 the entire family was sick like 6 times. Luckily this year, her district allowed each family to choose either attend in-person or remote school. No doubt she chose online schooling cuz she had past experience from the flu.
I wish you and your family a speedy recovery!
I won’t chime in about the folks that are triggered by blog post but it is interesting to see the broad spectrum of disinformation in the comments. I hope you get well soon. Once you all recover you might want to make sure to get flu shots. October is usually a good time to get one and they may be harder to find as this season’s flu ramps up. With less natural exposure to others due to the COVID lockdowns, masks and restrictions it should help keep your natural immunity in check to some degree.
Oh and check out the “Social Dilemma” Netflix movie while you’re resting to see how some of the social bias spreads 🙂
Can’t agree with you more – saw the movie, and truly amazing how much the Right has been conned by QAnon and the like…coming soon to you, Q-supporting Congresspeople. Truly wow.
I think its more appropriate to say that the MSM has conned America in making Covid worse than it really is by a huge margin.
If you’re afraid of traveling or going out, STAY HOME. Stop preventing people from making a living or living their lives the way they want to. It’s not a coincidence that the states that are hurting the most financially are the ones who locked down their economies in fear of this overhyped virus. (read: democrat-run states)
You people who live in fear of this virus which has a death rate that resembles the flu we all know and love, remember this: There’s a fine line between being cautious and being petrified. Guess which category you belong to..?
Another news flash – you know the POTUS you undoubtedly worship was airlifted to Walter Reed due to dropping oxygen levels, right?
Blue state GDP is 2x that of Red state GDP…we are doing just fine, TYVM.
Go back to QAnon Reddit, might be more comfortable there.
The argument that for 95% of the population getting it isn’t any worse than the common cold minimizes the potential severity (and lethality) for the remaining 5%. It’s not a matter of “shut it down” OR “eat, drink and be happy;” it’s a matter of accepting tiny infringements on personal freedom in order to save both lives AND the economy.
Why is it that soooo many of the travel blog readers are liberal left-wing Liberals??? amazing that they want Joe with MORE and More taxes and Double capital gains taxes +++++ who knows what other taxes plus he cannot remember where he is and what his name is… a Landslide CRAZY!
Namely Stuart,Derek,Gene, UA-NYC,Matt,JimF –China gave us this our President did not!! get your facts and stories correct… MP,AlohaDave,JacksonH you get it -glad some of the readers do.. thank you
You truly have some of the stupidest posts across the travel blogs
News flash – when Trump puts through a tax cut, you aren’t benefitting (as I’m guessing you are neither a corporation, nor in the top 1% of income earners)
If you watched the debate on Tuesday – are you actually PROUD that this clown is your President? He’s a national effing embarrassment.
UA-NYC is actually telling someone else that Trump’s tax cuts aren’t helping him. Tell us more, since you know more about his economic situation than he does.
Based on this dee’s (formerly dot’s) writing, not too hard to figure out they don’t have an HHI of $600K+ (the threshold for top 1%).
Pretty sure the same for you, don’t thing there are too many of those at the MAGA rallies, the private equity guys making 7/8 figures each year who are Republican aren’t going to those.
dee: you silly!!!! Trump doesn’t pay taxes! He cann0t share his tax returns cuz…..Shucks. He owes over 400 million coming due next year. you think he owes China or Russia or dee (dee: is it cold in Moscow this time of year?)
The real problem for our country is that we have fostered a nation of individuals who are so selfishly focused on themselves that they are unable to really behave with respect to the common good.
Once a culture no longer agrees on how it should behave, the culture falls apart. Division has been sown for years.
What is true freedom? Not to do whatever one wants at any cost. True freedom is being capable of loving and caring about others. Especially the poor, lonely, ill, child, immigrant, elderly and the list goes on.
A culture is judged on how it treats its most vulnerable of citizens. We are in trouble!
That sounds very gut wrenching and heart-bleeding but at the end of the day dont save the minority at the expense of gutting the majority by letting tyrannical governors like Whitmer, Cuomo, and Newsom kill off livelihoods based on their own personal fears.
um? what are you talking about Johnny? The majority voted against Donald. The majority voted for Democratic Senators and House. You cannot count. Sad
It is no longer Smyrna to do with “the common good” when it only affects 5 percent to any notable degree. It is, by far, disingenuous to refuse to acknowledge the 95 percent as the most common. Trump took immediate action to bad travel from the country of origin and was soundly ridiculed for it by the left. The first case in Alaska, btw, was a pilot from China . . . Proving the President right. Supporting BLM of hundreds or thousands by falsely blaming a few who social distanced or were tested in the Rose Garden is the result of flagrant numbing of the mind and disregarding “science”. Something else to consider . . . Germany. Italy, Australia are full of people equally tired of the lockdowns. None of them are Trump supporters. Some people wearing full PPE for weeks wind up with it, so wear a mask if you feel you need to buy don’t think it will be the golden egg. The ordinary immunologist at the start of this said it must spread to develop immunity (science) but won’t happen because no one wants the death count (making it political). Anything Trump did well be found wrong by those that want to do so, but the reaction in a number of other countries does it isn’t just blind support for a man but the hypocrisies that drive the dissent.
I’m so sick of everyone politicizing everything. I think trump has done more for this country, has not been bullied by the deep state, has stood up to China, and Iran and on and on. It’s the democratic governors who have caused the problems to create anarchy and have control until the Biden Marxist regime might take over, heaven forbid. Trump may not be the sweetest and most refined speaker but he is truthful. Maybe you should all read up on history and not mock him. He has worked20 hours a day to help make America great, but the leftist organization has done everything to control the media and what you hear. Get an education. Listen to mark levin show podcast everyday and maybe you’ll learn about who the real liars are and about USA history and the constitution. I cancel my subscription with you now!
QAnon Sarah does not need a subscription to read this blog.
What’s with this tired “Qanon” tag. This type of response falls under the same automated response of “you’re racist” or “blame Russia” when you cant argue with logic.
Talk about politicizing everything. She just wiped out half of the country’s citizens.
Everyone and every side has a bit of the truth but so many are to angry and ego bound that they cannot see truth.
Thank you, Matt for your wisdom
Sarah: 209,000 dead Americans. 7 million infected w/Covid including Trump, who for all we know, may be on death’s door. 30 million unemployed. No national plan to deal w/Covid. Trump knew that it was airborne since at least 2/7/20. Trump is incompetent but he paid less in federal income taxes than you did. Sad
Could politics be left out? It’s a Herculean task to find an article where the author has the professionalism and civism of not throwing in their two cents. I thought that reading “Boarding Area” would be an oasis amidst the current events but sadly it’s proving not to be so.
Elena, When you see the “musings” header at the top of a story, that means you should expect opinion. But check back to the 30+ other articles per week, most of which are objective. Thanks for reading.
Self-reflection, humility and Trump will never be seen in the same sentence.
Just a reminder to everyone … a person can test positive for the virus but not be sick. Even if you do get sick, it may not be worse than a bad cold. I caught the virus in Wuhan November 12. It was like a bad cold. I got over it. All this hysteria about the virus is ridiculous. If you’re healthy, take some precautions and get on with your life. If you’re not healthy, stay home. Shutting down the whole world is not a very good idea. If you think you might get sick, stay home. End of problem.
Matthew, I hope you & your family are feeling better already.
Was that photo taken in your house or just a picture you found? If it is your house, I am guessing you chose the picture on the wall and your wife chose the other furnishings.
Hi Ben, we are all much better. Thanks for the well wishes!
That is just a stock photo that I modified to add the Concorde artwork! We live in a bungalow with a more Mid-Century style.