While we all react to the current covid crisis, I've been worried a few years about new viruses for which humans have no
immunity, because of climate change. It's
likely there are more new viruses about to descend on us, I believe this one
was among the 28 scientists found last summer from a melting Tibetan glacier, a
short ride from Hubei Province where first cases of COVID-19 out-broke.
1.
Jan 17, 2020 - The scientists retrieved the ancient viruses by drilling 50 meters deep into the glacier ice. Then, to rule out any contamination, they
developed ...
1.
Jan 22, 2020 - Scientists recently broke up this party after
taking a look at two ice cores from this Tibetan glacier, revealing the existence of 28 never-before-seen ...
1.
Jan 24, 2020 - ... a host of ancient virus groups in ice cores taken from a Tibetan glacier. ... core samples from a glacier in the Tibetan Plateau—they
calculated ...
Jan 23, 2020 - A massive glacier on the northwestern Tibetan Plateau
in China has been the home to never-before-seen viruses, trapped for 15000 years.
1.
Jan 28, 2020 - Scientists make a valuable discovery in
a glacial plateau on the northwest part of Tibet in China. This discovery finds viruses that were in a ...
1.
Jan 31, 2020 - ... viruses and
bacteria in ice from two cores drilled on the summit and plateau of the Guliya
ice cap in northwestern Tibetan Plateau,
China.
1.
Jan 23, 2020 - 15,000-Year-Old Viruses Discovered in Tibetan Glacier. Out of the 33 frozen viral populations that
were found, 28 groups are believed to have ...
1.
Jan 23, 2020 - In total, they identified 33 virus groups—28 of which were completely new to science.
From Tibet to the Arctic to Antarctica, glaciers and ice ...
Scientists have said for decades that
if the ice caps and glaciers melt, new viruses will be turned loose on the planet. No one knew what they would be or how they would
affect us.
Now we are finding out.
*
All my life I've not been able to
make friends. People tell me it's because
I'm too angry, when what really makes me mad now days is that people around me aren’t
angry enough.
*
I went into isolation earlier than local
media advised because I don't trust most people around me to even know what's going
on with the virus. I live in a small
town, a tourist resort, where people especially from China come to ski, then go to casinos at night to pull on slot machine
handles in close confines with recirculated air.
Even today on March 16th there are
locals demanding in comments in news stories that the casinos should stay open,
angry that the ski resorts closed early especially when we are getting amazing
snow.
Yes. Amazing snow on March 16th, it's
up to the bottom of my window here on the first floor, about four feet of snow
has fallen in last few days.
I posted on Facebook yesterday:
Tahoe is getting covered with snow while a
fever spreads down the hill...
I do pray in my own way, quietly
saying thank you for giving me the wisdom to move here above the fray, not sure
who I'm praying to, think there are spirits from ancient Natives in these mountains
though and sometimes think they are reading over my shoulder and watching YouTube clips with me. The snow surrounding us today makes me feel reassured and safer from the
virus, as almost all the tourists drove away Sunday when the resorts closed, and
more won't come for a while.
That's fine
with me, it makes me feel safer.
*
I live in senior housing, rent
subsidized by the federal government. I kind
of expected some communication from management this morning since this virus is
particularly hard on old people, and several other countries and cities around the world now say persons
over seventy should isolate. I think my landlords can't recommend isolation because half the residents are Donald Trump supporters who are totally
brainwashed watching Fox News as their only source of information and the ultimate
landlord is HUD, a federal agency. So to
prevent antagonism from the Trump zombies, they are continuing business as usual.
The building did use the coronavirus
pandemic as an excuse to make everyone who comes in the front door sign in and show ID, and I hope that's all they do to limit our freedoms due to this crisis.
But I doubt it will be.
But I doubt it will be.
Also to get in building, you have to say you haven’t in last two weeks been
anywhere that's pandemic, when everywhere is pandemic… that's what pandemic
means.
I went into isolation early because I
don't believe my neighbors will take precautions to keep from getting infected
and infecting other people.
And I had trust issues before...
And I had trust issues before...
*
I've been in self quarantine since March sixth. That day I wrapped a scarf around my face and walked to the bank and post office, so I already have the cashier's check to pay April's rent, no need to leave home now for weeks. On way home that day I sat near an open window riding public transit. When the bus stopped to let a group of Tahoe riders carrying snowboards onboard, I wrapped the scarf around my face again, certain no virus can penetrate polyester. The driver, who was just hired after serving in Iraq, saw my covered face and jumped in his seat, probably remembering for a second Islamic women he'd seen in markets. Wonder if Middle Eastern women started covering their faces after a virus outbreak centuries ago…
I started self isolating before the word went out because I'm scared at how purposely ignorant some of my neighbors can be. I guess if you think it doesn't matter when you die because as they say, just pray Jesus loves you, that’s great for you. But COVID-19 death is painful as those spiky virus molecules push around in your lungs, and I'd rather live long enough to see my daughter again…
I actually do pray in my own way, even though by American standards I'm an atheist. I believe in physics, that evolution is creation in progress and it never stops.
When the world is falling down around you though, people do become more religious. So there will likely be a resurgence of religion in next years, along with viruses.
-Kay Ebeling
