My 'Essential Worker' Experience

#279: 'Low-Exposure', so far, thankfully
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At the risk of sounding flippant, I can say that some 'essential work' is relatively risk free.  If, that is, one adopts a few safety precautions:
  * the big one: wear a mark
  * wash hands, use hand-sanitizer, wipe down surfaces, maintain social distancing, stay at home
and, in addition, if one is lucky enough to:
  * live in an area where the virus is not common

And that describes my circumstances fairly well.

That being said, a few observations that may sound familiar to those in the same boat:

Wearing A Mask
If you wear a mask (for example: the common surgical mask: blue on one side, white on the other, elastic around the ears) you'll recognize these things:
 * you forget that people can't see you smiling; I get around this by using hand gestures, especially the quickly conceived, rushed, fanning action that is just as quickly withdrawn, which expresses an intense friendliness that is nevertheless under control
 * you discover that the hotter the weather, the more unbearable the mask (simply remind oneself of the horrors of the virus)
 * in a job like mine, which is mainly doing what amounts to aerobic exercise, mixed with the occasional strenuous pushing/lifting, the latter will mean one must lower one's mask to get enough fresh air
 * the tightness of one's mask can irritate the area behind one's ears; one wonders whether some human heads may be too large--high bridged noses for instance--for standard masks
 * or, the reverse, that low-bridged noses may mean a much more snug fit, and more air flowing through the cloth, rather than around it; high- and low-bridged noses are, of course, more prevalent in certain areas of the world and could perhaps account for some of a region's success in combating Covid
 * possibly the least significant issue I have with the common surgical mask is how the synthetic material can tickle one's nostrils; this happens when a strand of the fabric is hanging off, due to wear-and-tear

Social Distancing
 * it's surprisingly difficult to remember to keep one's distance; this is especially true for people who are lonely, or for those who regularly bond with others in social settings (being aloof means "see you later" on an intuitive level)
 * I suppose it's possible that over hundreds of thousands of years viruses have caused the evolution of humans to veer away from a more communal lifestyle, and have encouraged things like monogamy (as those who practiced a primitive social distancing would tend to survive and have children who learned that this was normal)
 * theoretically, if this were the case, it's possible that over the centuries, barring a vaccine, Covid (and possibly other such viruses) could steer the human experience away from things like hugging one's neighbor at a church service; packing oneself into a large indoor crowd (rock concert fade away); or even urban life in general

If A Coronavirus Vaccine Is A Long Ways Off

#278: The Implications
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New York magazine's Jeff Wise explains why a vaccine for the coronavirus might not happen.  Essentially, other coronaviruses, like the common cold, remain unconquered, which suggests we may find a vaccine to prevent Covid-19 equally elusive.  Perhaps a new vaccine will help a bit, as with the flu; or maybe we'll just have to adjust.  There's also the possibility that Covid-19 will slowly become just another strain of the flu, as Sarah Zhang explains at the Atlantic.

The reaction to Wise's article, in comments, included a few irate writers complaining that there's enough negative news, and that depressing readers with more negativity is simply wrong.

But, is more 'happy talk' the answer?  If the pandemic lasts for years (the best forecasters estimate about two years) it may be that a return to a freer lifestyle will require re-engineering our society.  If so, the sooner we begin, the better.  For example, a re-engineered airplane cabin that somehow carries passengers in isolated compartments, rather than using communal seating.  At a minimum, we could start re-thinking our social interactions, becoming aware of how we mingle with others.

Recently, it's occurred to many observers that big box stores with groceries and a pharmacy, in addition to other goods, are receiving an unfair advantage.  For example, a small, niche clothing store is considered 'non-essential', and must temporarily shut down; meanwhile, a big-box store that sells similar items, in addition to food and medicine, is allowed to remain open.

The overall effect of this inadvertent inequity is to turn everyone into big box shoppers and decimate the hearts of many a business district.  When the time comes, how might we re-engineer this effect?

A possible solution is for local governments to adjust property tax rates so that small businesses with a connection to the community have a leg up.  Raise retail property taxes, overall, and then, assuming local ownership, provide discounts for things like:
  * 10% - Owner operated
  * 20% - Minimum local charitable donations (% of gross earnings)
  * 30% - Worker owned
  * 10% - @ Enterprise Zone
  * 10% - 100% renewable energy usage
  * 10% - Building rehab. (for three years)
  * 10% - High-value wages/benefits

Conceivably, a worker-owned local business that fixes up a building in an enterprise zone, pays good wages, and uses renewable energy, would pay no property taxes under such a scheme.  Of course, if this meant big box stores going out of business, further adjustments would have to be made to maintain revenue.

This rethinking / re-engineering process will hopefully result in a more likely social order, whether necessarily distanced, or not.