I took the METRO 69A bus from Santa Cruz into Watsonville Thursday and then again in reverse to get home at the end of the day. Riding the bus nowadays is a far different experience than it was prior to March 17. There are parts of the experience that feels like riding along in a sketchy science experiment with cryptic signs posted about, everyone wearing masks, no conversation combined with the blaring overhead speaker, “now approaching Rodriguez Street, now approaching ….” There were only five folks aboard each bus. With less traffic about, and fewer people climbing aboard, the bus routes seem more streamlined and quicker. I found each ride really relaxing as I settled into my copy of the New York Times and left the driving to someone else.
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While some countries hand out face masks for free, you still have to come with your own in the U.S. I’ve seen, for example, in Hong Kong, where city workers walk around with boxes of masks, passing them out on the street to anyone that wants one.
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On Monday there were 12,500 new cases of Covid-19 in FLorida. TV news has shown video clips of young people having noisy, crowded block parties, dancing, smoking and drinking with no distancing what-so-ever.
I spoke with my granddaughter in Austin and she said 85 babies tested positive for the virus there in one week.
In Missouri 19 people tested positive to Covid-19 after they attended a high school graduation and prom.
The U.S. has now reached the grim milestone of more than 4,032,900 cases Thursday and counting. It took President Trump over four months to don a mask and to start professing the benefits of wearing one. Masks are now required in half of the U.S.
Walmart stores, CVS, Kohl’s, Home Depot and Sams and just a few retail giants that are on deck for requiring masks for shoppers.
On Wednesday Santa Cruz County Health officials reported 878 cases of Covid-19 with 18 new cases. California now has 430,773 cases, the highest number than any other state. California has more than 8,050 deaths.
There are 44,879 cases in the Bay Area with 740 deaths.
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An alert has been circulating in the news about dangerous hand sanitizers that contain methanol, or wood alcohol. That chemical, experts are saying, can introduce toxins in the body.
The Food and Drug Administration is saying not to use the following nine brands nine brands manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico:
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)
