news from over there

Talked to our daughter in Switzerland

     She returned last week from time in Borneo and Thailand, I believe.  I actually had to look up Borneo on Google.  I had no idea where it was.
     On the flight home she said they were checked twice for COVID 19.  I believe she said at the first airport and again inAbu Dhabi when they landed there enroute.
     Of course, schools are closed, some of the minor border crossings  between Switzerland and Italy are closed, and people are being told to work from home.
     We also talked to my nephew and his wife, also in Switzerland.  She has a friend in a remote Italian village and residents there are instructed to stay inside.  She said police will stop you, even if taking a walk by yourself, and send you back home.
     Another niece and her family were visiting and came home today after their original flights were cancelled.
     The US has 18 airports that are accepting overseas flights.  If you saw the pictures at O'Hare today, you should have been shocked.  Thousands  of people, waiting hours in line shoulder to shoulder, because testing was being done.
     If you ask me I would have said if you only have 18 airports open and there are thousands of of citizens abroad who are coming home, then you better mobilize every person you can to make sure the testing is done quickly.  Having those people stand in line for hours is absolutely insane and could lead to a massive surge in the number of people infected.
     I just hope Laurie and Ron and the kids did not have to wait too long and that no-one sneezed or coughed on them.
     Meanwhile, I ventured to the local WM for some essentials...potato chips, cottage cheese, other stuff.  (The local pharmacist was incredulous tha I was at the store.)  The only chips left were way up on the top shelf, the one that says ask associate for help.  I found an associate, said I wanted one of the few regular chips left.  He got a ladder, climbed up....and brought down one bag.  The other 10 or so he left on the out of reach top shelf.
     Heaven help us.
Peace and Love ande I am not going out to another store for two weeks.