I’ve told people, every other female in our family is a nurse: my grandmother and my mom were, my great-aunt who is my grandmother’s sister still is, two of mom’s cousins one of whom is now a nursing instructor, my sister, and now another sister is in nursing school. I and a few other female family members have had a least a temp job in some part of the medical world. So, right now, a lot of the family is immersed in covid-19 land without really knowing many/any people who’ve tested positive.

I’m working at a newspaper office (the company owns multiple small local county papers and a few in various other states) in the accounting department. Fully DONE with the hysteria. I was half-crazy with it earlier. Then just disgusted with the irresponsibility and half-truths and absolute falsehoods and the hatred. Unable to understand why people choose to half-read distorted media reports rather than, oh, I don’t know go directly to the Center for Disease and Control, you know that massive organization of disease experts who are working to understand this disease? (Because where are the journalist getting their oh, so scientific info that is SO much better than a group devoted to the study of infectious disease? A special revelation from God?!!) And maybe a history book and maybe a book on vaccination. I feel like I was losing a grip on reality in listening to them. I can fact check all day, but crazy emotions feed crazy emotions. It was hard to reset my brain. Rant over.

Sister 1. Biostatistics master working as temp under the university research department gathering data. Research switched to covid-19. Mentioned hearing throat test was equal in efficacy to those brain poking ones. Telling us that people who test positive are tested again and that 2nd test is counted, meaning they are double counted. Antibody tests of uncertain usefulness, not sure if that has improved.

Sister 2. Hospital nurse. High levels of patient seriousness (I can’t remember term), hospital thinks its because they wait so long to come in out of covid-fear.

Sister 4. Freshman nursing major. Started job administering tests for Sister 1’s research department. She has to wear a full surgical suit, n-95, and that shield helmet thing. Working downtown, fill in details.