Weekend Reading: The Third Week Edition

I should probably stop naming these posts by week, because in awhile that is going to get depressing.

I took yesterday off and feel more refreshed, which is a good thing because I have several emails from the school to read to prepare for next week. Instruction is resuming, although grading doesn't start again until April 27 because the district needs time to distribute laptops to those that need them and also sort out internet connections for families that need them. I have a bunch of links to read through for my 4th grader. Luckily, the 7th grader can mostly handle her stuff herself.

This week, I tried to read less about coronavirus. The idea was that I'd then read more other things. That second part didn't really happen, although I did finally read a few more chapters of my book. I am starting to realize how much I depended on having certain routines for things like grocery shopping and how now that the routines are disrupted, chores that used to take very little time are consuming far more of my time and attention. Even when I am not actually working on them, there is part of my brain whirring away on the various logistical problems we face right now. It is somewhat exhausting and I am working on figuring out how to quiet the noise.

So I don't have a lot of links for you this week. Here's what I do have:

This xkcd cartoon is really beautiful.

If you've been curious about infection rates per capita, there is now a covid tracking source that has that option: It is one of the customization options at covidcounties.org. I am trying not to obsess about the numbers, but I have only a hazy idea of the populations of various California counties and this site helped me put some of the other numbers I've seen in context. Also, Los Angeles county is huge and I didn't realize San Diego county is the next biggest.

The CDC has changed its guidance on masks. This Ed Yong piece explains what we know about their effectiveness and might help you understand why this has become such a contentious issue. My key takeaways from all the things I've read about cloth masks is that we're wearing them to protect other people from us (not to protect ourselves from other people) and they should be a supplement not a replacement for all of the other things we're doing: staying home, staying 6 feet away from others when we do have to go out, and washing our hands a lot.

An opinion piece on why medical workers are at a higher risk from coronavirus. If nothing else has convinced you to leave the medical masks to medical workers, this might.

I had to stop reading this Washington Post article about what went wrong in our response to coronavirus because it was making me too angry. I will come back and read it at some point, though.

This article about what's happening in Wuhan right now is so sad, and the estimates people are making about the true number of deaths based on funeral information - that the real toll may be more than 40,000 people - are absolutely heartbreaking.

Here's another article with some useful tips for safely ordering takeout.

New York is merging all of its hospitals into one system to try to get resources where they are needed most.

Here's a write up on a trial that is getting started on another promising repurposed drug.

Xykademiqz wrote a good post on grocery stores and social class during this pandemic. I've observed similar things here.

This article with tips on social distancing from a man who has lived alone in a cabin in the mountains for years is just delightful. Also, it has some good advice!

Samuel L. Jackson reading an updated version of Go the F*** to Sleep - Stay the F*** at Home:

Samuel L. Jackson with tonight's perfect bedtime story. pic.twitter.com/CIg0H64c25

— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) April 1, 2020

This is amazing:

Things like this? Make me want to weep with joy. Look at it! So fine. Amazing and wonderful. Look at the dates. https://t.co/rUJ3QD18J7

— El Rhodes (@electra_rhodes) April 4, 2020

Here's your bunny for the week:

pic.twitter.com/J29Nx3qsAP

— うさぎ島の写真bot (@rabbit_isle_bot) March 31, 2020

Have a good weekend!