Scary Times




   These are scary times we are living in. Almost everything is closed. Churches are cancelling services. Concerts and athletic events have been cancelled. Schools have closed, possibly until next fall. Anyone who can work from home is working from home.
  The Mall of America has closed. Restaurants are closed or only offering take out or delivery orders. The news is filled with dire warnings about quarantines and the lack of hospital beds and supplies. Everyone is supposed to stay home and stay six feet away from each other in public.
  Store shelves are empty as people buy food and supplies in case stores close and essential services are cut off. People are panicking. Hand sanitizer,masks and disinfectant wipes are in short supply.
  I should be worried about getting sick myself. After all, I am a community pharmacist. I can't avoid the public and pharmacies can't close. People still need their medications even during public health emergencies. Maybe I'm being naive, but I have worked during times when other infectious diseases were going around. I take as many precautions as I can.
  There are things that I am worried about. I'm worried about people who can't buy a months worth of food at a time unable to buy anything because store shelves are empty. I'm worried about people already having trouble making ends meet not able to work because their business has shut down. I'm worried about small business owners having to close permanently because the the financial losses incurred during this crisis.
  I'm worried about people who lose retirement savings because of the stock market crashes. I worry about isolated elderly people suffering from lack of human contact. I'm worried about people suffering from depression and anxiety having increased symptoms during this time. I'm worried about people who don't do well alone having to cope with being unable to be out and about.
  I have heard that truck drivers are having trouble finding places to eat. They can't go through drive throughs with their trucks. I've heard that truck drivers are having trouble finding places where they can use restroom facilities and wash their hands. Some distribution centers will not allow drivers to leave their trucks while unloading. I worry about truck drivers driving tired because of increased demand to haul loads to various places.
  I worry about people feeling hopeless and anxious at news reports that this will go on until fall. I worry that some people will simply take their own lives.
  I'm sure we will all get through this. Nothing stays bad forever. We'll learn and move on. In the meantime, hang on, enjoy things you can do and stay safe.
 

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