105. Spiral

Monday November 2 2020

As COVID-19 in the United States is on the rise for the third time this year and breaking new daily records, we’re here in our corner of southwestern Ohio anxiously twiddling our thumbs and waiting our turn.

So far no one in our immediate family circle or workplaces have even tested positive, let alone been diagnosed after showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus. We’re tempted to let our guard down, you know?

But to those of us who haven’t been affected yet, we realize that we’re at the center of an ever-closing spiral.

At first, it was our friends in Indiana, a really great couple we just adore. They both made it through the virus with moderate symptoms and are doing well now. Stories of friends of friends testing positive started reaching us more often, but we didn’t feel threatened by these.

The spiral closed a little when a couple that I used to work with fell ill, with one hospitalized and the other recovered at home after a mild case. Mom tells me that one of my cousins had the virus recently.  Then a news story about the family of a gentlemen, whom we know, celebrating him coming home after a 65-day hospitalization. They all live here in our little burgh.

I wanted to make a spiral graphic to demonstrate all this and so I give you this lollipop to represent the concept for the simple reason that this graphic was free and I’m not paying license rights just to make a stupid infographic to display something that you probably don’t even need a visual image to understand.

I don’t know, though. The winter months are when influenza cases rise, so of course, the coronavirus is expected to do so, as well. But hey, we have the possibility of a viable vaccine coming soon. And by combining the vaccinated population with those who have developed antibodies after recovering from COVID-19, we’re getting closer to herd immunity.

Still, let’s stay vigilant here. I can’t speak for your personal COVID spiral, but mine is getting smaller every day.