Candid Journal Entry #1

         Are you guys quarantined at home still? Of course you are. I can't see anything else happening, in a developed country anyhow. It has been inconvenient to say the least. But, the scare of the virus is not the only thing on people's minds.

         We have had a noticeable earthquake a week ago. Yeah, it's only a 5.7 or so on the scale, but it was a grim reminder that it is a thing. Many Utahans remembered that "The Big One" could happen any time. There have been multiple smaller aftershocks around 3.0 since then.

         It's not only the pandemic, there are natural and economic disasters to worry about.

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         Work in microbiology has been slower since the hospitals have halted many procedures. This means that elective surgeries, etc. will have to wait until further notice. On the other hand, the molecular department is working overdrive. Mandatory overtime, thousands of tests behind, and whatnot is a typical day over there.

         At some point, the chance of the labs redeploying and reshuffling staff increases. In essence, some of us may have temporary tenures in the molecular department.

         Well, at least our supervisors try to find humor in the situation. I'm sure they found that on the internet somewhere. Now, it's on our bulletinboard.

         Social distancing won't eliminate the virus on its own, but we all hope it would slow down the spread. At this point, the healthcare system wants to prevent the disaster you see in Italy. We cannot have our ICU beds at full capacity. When that happens, death toll will skyrocket.

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         Speaking of social distancing...

         In the neighborhood, you could see PSAs such as this:

         They are rather basic stuff, but I hope people follow them. The LDS Church has suspended live gatherings few weeks back. Telecommunications have helped with a lot of the meetings and whatnot. This is a reminder that technology is great.

         On the storefront, shops have been placing limits on items people could buy per run. I guess this is an attempt to curb the toilet paper barons. It's obvious that there are opportunists and profiteers in trying times. I mean, who buys milk in insane bulk? I sense some reselling situations.

         At the very worst, we could have National Guard visiting like some of the other states. At least, there would be some order. Unfortunately, that means we live with less and less liberty.

         But, there are some people who would prefer guns and ammo over supplies at this time. In that sense, having the National Guard around might be a good thing. It should be evident that there exist bad actors who are planning the marauding route. Hence, why their priorities are different from almost everyone else.

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         Last but not least, it's the worst timing ever: the US Census. By law, everyone needs to fill it out. Fortunate for us, you can do it online. Best part is that it doesn't take long. Unless, you have a large household and complicated arrangements.

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         In other news, fixing one of the showers in my home. I need to redo the tiles. I may post the photos in the near future. It's a project that would take several days to complete.