Many of the shops have reopened. And whom am I to argue with the decision? I have as little idea of what is going as anyone else. The continual mis-messaging has grown. It is all a bit exhausting. Wear masks? Don’t wear masks? Outside is safer than inside?
Even Dr Michael Osterholm, one of the top American infectious disease epidemiologist and someone who has continually been ahead of the curve seemed a little befuddled yesterday. ‘We don’t know exactly what is happening,’ he said of the increase and decrease in individual states,’ this is one of those moments of humility as humans. We are just not sure what the virus is doing…’
When I drove across Oxford street yesterday, I was amazed to see how many people were lined outside the Nike store. There must have been 500 faces stacked together so close they could probably hear the different key of each other’s breath. The site of the crowd moving forward was disturbing. Whatever anyone says, there remains a nervousness out there. It feels as if we are on a steep climb up a mountain. I was once told a way to deal with uncertainty. At the time, it didn’t mean much, but during these days, I am beginning to understand. ‘A photographer on an expedition to climb some of the highest mountains in the world. He found that not being a full-time mountaineer – and therefore not be used to thin air, thick snow, perpendicular rock and all that – the only way for him to survive was to scream an oath each time he took a step forward. That’s how he dealt with the danger.’
We have your final scan set for tomorrow afternoon at four o’clock. I will report back with any news but as I have written before, let’s hope there is nothing new to add and that your due date is firmly set.
Te Quiero mucho,
Papa
