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DON JONES INDEX… |
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DOW JONES INDEX: 12/2/20…29,823.92;
11/25/20…30,116.51; 6/27/13…15,000.00) LESSON
for December 2, 2020 – “THANKS and NO THANKS!” Thanksgiving week is at an end but,
before we pass onwards to Christmas and the good cheer of the plague,
unemployment, food lines and a Presidential succession off the rails, let’s
see what Don Jones has had to be thankful for (or not) so far this year. Above all, those who are alive and
healthy have cause to be grateful. Bad
as it seems, the plague in America is not as bad as it is portrayed in the
mass media… while the total numbers are (choose one) grim, dire, dreary or
deadly, this is because we have more other people than most of the other nations
around the world, excepting only China and India. And, to quote the President-Elect… love him
or don’t… “the cavalry is on the way.” Pending FDA approval, shipments of the
Pfizer vax will be winging in from Belgium,,, you didn’t think America could
make a cure, did you?... within days and Moderna’s
should follow, meaning the select and the fortunate may even have a choice
before 2021 clocks in. (Who are these lucky stiffs? The Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) which met yesterday and issued a predictable “pyramid” of
preferred persons… health care workers on top, then nursing home residents,
first responders, seniors, pregnant women and so on down to the proles. (See Attachment One, A and B) Will corruption enter into the
mix? You can bet your walking
boots. But, like the election, the
process will still be mostly fair. If better health is to be achieved in
the Far East… Vietnam and Taiwan seem among the healthiest… we are, at least,
better off than the British (who have now locked down the country, once
again) and Brazilians (whose President, a plague survivor, yet refuses to
recognize the virus and accounts its victims weaklings better off dead)… far
better off than hapless citizens of Mexico or Italy or Belgium (which may have
been a factor in its rapid development and… one hopes… deployment of the vaxxes). See
Attachment Twelve. Various media sorts… publications,
broadcasters, celebrities, political and cultural partisans… have weighed in
on reasons we have to be thankful, or to curse the night. An ostensible liberal from the Washington
Post opined the warnings about election and post-election violence mostly
proved to be unfounded (Attachment Three).
There were attitudes of gratitude from Canada (Attachment Five) and
India (Attachment Nine). Houston called in; communicants
grateful for dogs, trees, Texas and… howsoever politically incorrect, the
Pilgrims. (Attachment Six). But Tom Toles of
the WashPost declared “I am implacably ungrateful
to every person in any corporation, political position, media outlet or
personal interaction who has helped destroy a culture of facts and truth,
insofar as we had one,” (Attachment Four) and a Brooklynite chose NOT to be
grateful for Mayor diBlasio (Attachment Seven). A survey of eye doctors turned up
gratitude for grandchildren, cats and liquor stores. (Attachment Eight) And President Trump was grateful for
Himself (Attachment Eleven). He
tweeted so. (Some might also have been
grateful that he tweeted so conservatively all week. And what of the caprices and
capacities of America’s three hundred million Don Jones? It is the custom of this Index to, at the
close of what has been a positively dreadful year, recount the significant
monoliths, so to speak, on the desolate plain of history. (See these, from the last week of 2019 and the first of 2020 for
examples). However, a month before
this reckoning, we have also taken note of smaller episodes of pain and
progress – events impacting millions or only a few, or one, that… brought to
our attention… invoked smiles of approval or curses at the inhumanity of it
all. These we have collected in
advance – a table, if you will, of things to be thankful for and other
things, somewhat the opposite. A further caveat – in a
hyper-polarized, hyper-political year such as 2020, developments which may
have given cheer to some Joneses while afflicting others with anger and
bitterness have been set aside from both the naughty and the nice. These are mainly political, mainly
partisan, but also include developments which might gladden some and sadden
others… the results of athletic contests (where such were allowed to proceed)
for one example. Here, then, is our Thanksgiving
buffet of gratitudes and condemnations… the former
on the left hand side (a perhaps involuntary dog-whistle to the presumably
victorious Democratic Party faction, the latter on the right. And, between them, such partisan
occurrences which evoked a mixed response to Americans of separate loyalties. We have covered eleven months…
December is yet to be reckoned with and may well entirely upset this
reckoning. But, for the present, here
is our roster (incomplete, of course) of… Things to be thankful or not thankful
for – with provision for those pleasing to some, toxic to others…
Still and all, it was Thanksgiving. And before, during and after the
festivities… if festivities there were… Joe Biden dreamed, the President schemed,
the stricken screamed and Don Jones seemed to take it in stride, for this
holiday was no more (or no less) than could have been expected as the new
normal for 2020, the Thanksgiving holiday week transpiring as follows… as
often is the case, we find correlation in past journals of the plague – to
wit, Albert Camus’ novel of the same name.
There are differences, of course… “Le Peste”
takes place in French colonial Algeria c. 1947, is confined to the single
city of Oran rather than a whole country (or world) and is spread by rats and
fleas as opposed to some Chinese eating bats and then infecting tourists who
travel worldwide, coughing and sneezing their little packets of joy. In these particular passages, an elder
colleague of our hero, Dr. Rieux, sets to work
developing a cure for the bubonic plague afflicting Oran. It is not known whether Dr. Castel is
Belgian (most of the protagonists of this decidedly ethnocentric tome are
French or French-speaking) but, like Drs. Fauci and
Birx and the hundreds of anonymous researchers at
Pfizer, Moderna and, perhaps, Astra-Zeneca, he
presses on at his labors except, in this case, alone… often under the
opposition of the government’s plague potentate, Dr. Richard. |
12/2/20… 13,682.73 11/25/20…
13,674.93 6/27/13… 15,000.00 |
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Just to show what a mixed, malignant month
looks like, Alex Trebek and Darth Vader both
died. (Actually, the latter casualty was
weightlifter David Prowse who passed away at 85 and used his strength to walk
about in the creepy black plastic costume throughout the Star Wars movies – but
if the demise of a snarling, hissing dictator is an augur of times to come,
we’ll take it.
A real life villain (to many) Donald Trump
didn’t pass away… had he done so, the Presidency would have fallen to Mike
Pence for the next two months; a worse prospect because Mike is a healthy autocrat. But his re-electorial
hopes are slowly fading away like the prospects of a man dying of cancer of the
soul – all the President’s horses and Rudy Giuliani are not going to put this
administration back in power again.
Not until 2024?
As for the rest of the week, it was
sluggish as an overstuffed turkey gobbler.
Most of the small gain came as a result of a spike in housing sales as
locals put up their homes for sale prior to moving to another community or,
even, another country. There is vaccine
hope, but tempered by Murphy’s Law… if even a few doctors and nurses get
needled by New Years’ Eve, America will have won a victory (one which Trump
could claim
And Christmas is just 23 days away. 2021 is thirty days. And, of most important to partisans, President
Joe takes office in fifty days.
(Unless a successful coup can be launched.)
THE DON JONES INDEX
CHART of CATEGORIES w/VALUE ADDED to EQUAL BASELINE of 15,000
(REFLECTING… approximately… DOW JONES INDEX of June 27, 2013)
See a further explanation of categories here…
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ECONOMIC INDICES (60%) |
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DON JONES’
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BACK
See further indicators at The Economist – HERE!
ATTACHMENT ONE (A) –
from the New York Times, 12/9/20
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Who
goes first? |
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A panel of scientific
advisers yesterday released its initial guidelines for who should receive the first coronavirus
vaccines — recommendations that will influence states’
policies across the country. |
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The obvious question on
many people’s minds is: When can I expect to be vaccinated?
While there is still a lot of uncertainty, it’s possible to lay out a rough
expected timeline. I’ve done so below, with help from public health experts
and colleagues who are covering the virus. |
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December: Health care
workers and nursing home residents will likely be the first people to
receive the vaccine, as the panel recommended. |
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Up to 40 million doses
could be available to Americans before the end of this year, from a
combination of Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines.
That would be enough to vaccinate the three million people who live in
long-term-care facilities, as well as most of the country’s 21 million health
care workers. |
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January: Keep in mind that both
the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require a second
dose a few weeks later to be effective. So an initial batch of 40 million
doses would be enough to vaccinate only 20 million people. |
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By early next year,
Pfizer and Moderna are likely to be able to ship
about 70 million doses per month, Moncef Slaoui, a top federal vaccine official, told The Washington Post
yesterday. People will likely receive the shots at doctor’s
offices, hospitals and pharmacies, as well as at specially created clinics in
some places, my colleague Katie Thomas says. |
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February and March: The
next priority groups are likely to be people over the age of 65 (and
especially those over 75); people with medical conditions that put them at
risk of death if infected; and essential workers, like those in education,
food, transportation and law enforcement. |
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One exception to this
second wave of vaccine recipients may be people who have already had the
virus, making them immune from it for at least some period of time. |
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If other companies in
addition to Pfizer and Moderna receive approval for
their vaccines, the total number shipped each month could reach 150 million
by March, Slaoui said. |
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April, May and June: The
most likely scenario is that even people who don’t qualify as a priority —
like healthy, nonessential workers younger than 65 — will begin receiving the
vaccine by the spring. The vast majority of Americans could be vaccinated by
early summer. |
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Once that happens, life
will still not immediately return to normal, partly because the vaccines are
not 100 percent effective. “There will still be risks to people,” as Caitlin
Rivers, a Johns Hopkins epidemiologist, told me. |
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But those risks will be
small compared with today’s risks. Treatments continue to improve, reducing
the death rate for people who get the virus. And widespread vaccination will
sharply reduce the spread, helping protect even people for whom a vaccine is
ineffective. Rivers predicted that social gatherings will again be common and
largely safe by the summer. |
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All things considered,
the spring isn’t that far away, which is yet another reason
for people to make extra efforts to avoid unnecessary risks — like eating
inside restaurants and gathering indoors with friends — for the next few
months. |
AND…
ATTACHMENT ONE (B) – from CNN
Health care workers and
long-term care facility residents should get Covid-19 vaccine first, CDC
vaccine advisers say
By Maggie Fox,
CNN
Updated 9:39 PM ET, Tue December 1, 2020
(CNN) Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention voted 13-1 on Tuesday to recommend that both health care workers
and residents of long-term care facilities be first in line for any coronavirus
vaccines that get emergency authorization from the US Food and Drug
Administration.
The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices
voted to include both groups in what they're calling Phase 1a of the CDC's
coronavirus vaccine distribution plan.
They are at "exceptionally high risk," Dr.
Jose Romero, who chairs ACIP, said.
"Long term care facility residents are defined as
adults who reside in facilities that provide a variety of services, including
medical and personal care, to persons who are unable to live
independently," the CDC said.
These very frail people account for 40% of coronavirus
deaths in the US and the ACIP committee members felt strongly they need to be
protected. So far, the CDC's Sara Oliver told the meeting, 100,000 long term
care facility residents have died from Covid-19.
ACIP members also agreed it would be efficient to
vaccinate the staff working in nursing homes and similar long term care
facilities and the residents at the same time.
And no one had doubts about the need to protect health
care workers. More than 240,000 health care workers have been infected with
coronavirus and 858 have died, the CDC says.
"Anybody that works within a health care
institution that could have contact with an individual who has Covid should receive vaccination," Romero told CNN
before the meeting started. "That includes individuals such as the persons
delivering food, those persons in housekeeping who rapidly turn over rooms in
the emergency room or who perform cleaning in the patient's rooms. Those
individuals will be included."
Just before the vote, the American Health Care
Association and National Center for Assisted Living released a report showing
nursing homes have recorded their highest weekly count of coronavirus cases
since the spring.
"Given the asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic
spread of this virus combined with the explosion of community spread across the
U.S., we are extremely hopeful this vaccine will literally be a lifesaver for
thousands of residents and expedite the reopening of our facilities to family
members and loved ones," Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL,
said in a statement after the vote.
The single vote against the recommendation came from
Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University, who
said she was worried that the vaccine had not been studied in residents of
long-term care facilities.
"We hope it works and we hope it's safe. That
concerns me on many levels," Talbot told the meeting.
Later, she added: "I have no reservations for
health care workers taking this vaccine."
Early data on the Pfizer and Moderna
vaccines suggest both are safe and highly effective, with each preventing 95%
of symptomatic infections in the people who have volunteered to test them
according to the companies.
"Our discussions have been transparent and our
motives have been clear," Romero said after the vote.
"We see the growing number of health care
providers that have become infected, some of which have, unfortunately, passed
away," added Romero, who is secretary for health for the Arkansas Department
of Health.
"I believe my vote reflects maximum benefit,
minimum harm, promoting justice and mitigating that health inequalities that
exist with regard to distribution of this vaccine."
Dr. Robert Atmar of the
Baylor College of Medicine said he initially had qualms about putting long-term
care facility residents in the first group.
"Ultimately, I was persuaded by the tremendous
burden in terms of mortality and hospitalizations that the residents of these
facilities bear, the remarkable efficacy that has initially been reported and
that ultimately we will have a chance to review ... and the plans for
monitoring of safety in this population and the extra mile that will be pursued
to make sure that the residents and their families will be fully informed about
the amount of evidence that is available before the residents receive the
vaccine."
The next meeting will come after the FDA's advisers,
known as the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee or
VRBPAC, meet on December 10 to decide on Pfizer's application for an EUA, said ACIP's executive secretary, Dr. Amanda Cohn.
"We anticipate that the next ACIP meeting will
occur sometime after the VRPBAC meeting," Cohn said. ACIP will vote to
recommend whether any vaccine the FDA authorizes should actually be given to
anyone in the United States.
The CDC and ACIP are considering a four-phase plan for
allocating vaccines eventually. Phases 1b and 1c will likely include essential
workers such as food production workers who are at high risk of infection, as
well as emergency personnel and perhaps people at highest risk of coronavirus
complications and death.
The federal government anticipates that 40 million
doses of vaccine could be available in the United States by the end of December
if both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are approved.
But all 40 million doses would not be available right
away, Oliver told Tuesday's meeting.
"We expect a constrained supply
environment," Oliver said.
Oliver said the CDC expects between 5 million and 10
million doses will become available each week for the first few months as
vaccine makers ramp up manufacturing.
ATTACHMENT TWO – also from the New York Times 11/26/20
|
‘I am thankful to be thankful’ |
|
Last week, I invited readers to send us six words describing what
made them thankful in 2020. It’s a form of writing — the six-word memoir
— popularized by the
author Larry Smith. |
|
More than 10,000 of you replied, and we’re grateful to all of
you. Here is a selection of your responses: |
|
The
crinkling eye above the mask. |
|
A
furtive hug with a friend. |
|
The
backyard haircuts are getting better. |
|
My
choir still meets on Zoom. |
|
Friends
who give me streaming passwords. |
|
Family
reunion in January, before Covid. |
|
Miss
family, but safer for them. |
|
Saved
a lot of lipstick money. |
|
More
homemade pasta, no more jeans. |
|
No
shame in elastic-waist pants. |
|
Braless
at home? No one cares. |
|
Mom,
87, rocking pretty, pandemic ponytail. |
|
Teenage
son still likes to snuggle. |
|
My
parents live two blocks away. |
|
No
better excuse to avoid in-laws. |
|
This
stinking year is nearly over. |
|
* |
|
Sunny
mornings, a window facing east. |
|
My
bicycle, the trail, each morning. |
|
Windows
have never been so important. |
|
Toscanini’s
recording of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. |
|
5329
games of solitaire, won 5286. |
|
Throwing
the football with my sons. |
|
Jonesy
got a hole in one. |
|
Still
ridin’ my horse at seventy. |
|
Postcards
crossing the country — real mail. |
|
Living
in the Green Mountain State. |
|
So
grateful to live in Canada. |
|
Left
US for science-believing Germany. |
|
I
am thankful for Pastor Bob. |
|
I’m
just thankful for indoor plumbing. |
|
I
am thankful to be thankful. |
|
Never
been social; now I’m good. |
|
I
am bored, but not dead. |
|
* |
|
Ambulance
took him. He came home. |
|
Hearing
granny laugh on the phone. |
|
It’s
just a cold, not Covid. |
|
My
parents did not get it. |
|
Reached
age 92, grandson reached 3. |
|
I
held my dying husband’s hand. |
|
Held
my son as he died. |
|
Our
kids, after my wife died. |
|
My
wife gave me her kidney. |
|
Lung
cancer team at Sloan Kettering. |
|
Got
sober during 2020, stayed sober. |
|
Wasn’t
too late to say sorry. |
|
Wildfires
took much but we survived. |
|
Faith,
family, friends, dedicated medical professionals. |
|
Dr.
Fauci and all truth-speakers. |
|
Volunteers
who take experimental vaccines. |
|
Healthcare
workers. Healthcare workers. Healthcare workers. |
|
* |
|
Pandemic
baby after years of trying. |
|
At
twelve weeks, size of lime. |
|
Special-needs
child, graduated feeding tube. |
|
My
toddler and my weed guy. |
|
Toddler
sees Audrey Hepburn, says “Mama!” |
|
I
watched her learn to read. |
|
Water
cooler chats with six-year-old son. |
|
Thankful
for learning, in my pajamas. |
|
Teachers’
patience. “ … Reminder: no fart machines.” |
|
I
teach funny, resilient 8th graders. |
|
High
school, even in a pandemic. |
|
Survived
first semester of online university. |
|
Six
years later, wife completes PhD. |
|
Out
of prison with great job. |
|
Rediscovering
myself by reading the Bible. |
|
Stole
my car, not my books. |
|
Tried.
Failed. Failed worse. Kept going. |
|
* |
|
To
be a United States citizen. |
|
Americans
waited in line to vote. |
|
Thanks
for voting, Americans. — Immigrant scientist. |
|
Gritty
becoming an icon for democracy. |
|
Once
again, my Black vote matters. |
|
God,
family, freedom, Trump, health, USA. |
|
Trump
is our best president ever. |
|
Vaccines
are coming. Thank you, Trump. |
|
Vaccine
is coming, Trump is going. |
|
Obama,
Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Carter. |
|
Biden
won the election — thank God. |
|
Michigan,
Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Georgia. |
|
Paris
Climate Agreement returns in January. |
|
The
first female Vice President, baby. |
|
The
women who came before me. |
|
Democracy
triumphed. Now pass the stuffing. |
|
* |
|
Aunt’s
Jell-O salad not gonna happen. |
|
Solitary
Thanksgiving means no turkey. LOBSTER. |
|
Alone,
spouses thankful for tiny turkey. |
|
Daughter
lovingly uninviting me for Thanksgiving. |
|
Zoom
Thanksgiving beats an ICU Christmas. |
|
Thankful
for sweet potato pie, y’all. |
|
Red
or white, and occasionally rosé. |
|
The
many people who deliver food. |
|
My
restaurant colleagues, who never quit. |
|
248
cocktail hours with my mom. |
|
Empty
calendar means frequent dinners together. |
|
There’s
really more kindness than hate. |
|
* |
|
We’re
falling in love over FaceTime. |
|
Fell
in love six feet apart. |
|
I
have someone I can hug. |
|
Even
after I cheated, she stayed. |
|
The
freedom of filing for divorce. |
|
Lost
job. Lost boyfriend. Found happiness. |
|
I
might marry Coronavirus Boy Toy. |
|
Gayer
than ever, very in love. |
|
Postponed
wedding, having a baby instead. |
|
Fell
in love at age 75. |
|
I
proposed and she said yes. |
|
Will
you marry me, Taylor Hollenkamp? |
ATTACHMENT
THREE –
from the Washington Post
WHAT I AM THANKFUL FOR IN 2020 – SEARCHING FOR GRACE NOTES IN AN AWFUL YEAR
November 25, 2020
at 7:00 a.m. EST
My
family was supposed to host Thanksgiving this year, but the worsening
pandemic ensured that my
extended family will not be congregating this Thursday. In other words, it’s
2020.
On
social media, the hashtag #2020 is generally attached to events that are
horrible in one form or another. In most ways, that is how this year has felt
in the United States. The year began with an impeachment trial, transformed
with a pandemic, worsened with the bungled federal response to the pandemic,
segued into the largest economic contraction in American history, confronted
the worst social unrest in a half-century, suffered through hurricanes and
wildfires and murder hornets and probably a few other plagues, endured a
presidential campaign in which one side refused to abide by the results or
commit to a peaceful transfer of power, and is only just recovering from a
post-election interregnum in which the losing candidate has refused to concede
and browbeat almost everyone in his party into going along with his temper
tantrum.
It’s
been a year.
As
bad as things have been for the country, however, the bad allows one to
perceive the good and not take it for granted like in years past. There are
still many reasons to give thanks on the fourth Thursday of November. So, as my
nuclear family assembles for Turkey Day, here is what I will be thankful for
about 2020:
·
I am thankful that
my family has largely avoided catching the coronavirus. I live in a state and
city that took the pandemic seriously from March onward, and my family was good
about wearing masks and avoiding potential superspreader
events.
·
I am thankful that
my wife imparted sufficient amounts of good sense into my children so that last
bullet point could be written.
·
I am also thankful
to my wife for continuing to make me laugh after nine months of being housebound
together with almost no travel. Note: The rest of this list could consist
solely of encomiums to my spouse but in the interest of variety, I’m going to
move on.
·
I am thankful to
my neighbors for their good cheer, their concern for others and their excellent
taste in dogs.
·
I am thankful to
my friends from high school, who decided it would be a good idea to get
together remotely once a week because of the pandemic.
·
I am thankful to
combination of fortuna and
fortitude that landed me a job at the Fletcher School that I could do remotely
if necessary. I’m grateful to the school administrators for having the good
sense to announce fall 2020 plans in the spring, making it easier for us
teachers to prepare our classes. I’m particularly grateful to the Fletcher
students; for all the talk of cancel culture, they continue to tolerate me
making fun of them on a regular basis.
·
I am thankful to
Zoom for making my job conceivable during a “work from home” environment, and
for being able to scale up so well inside of two weeks.
·
I am thankful to
Michael Schur, Greg Daniels, Dan Harmon and Dan Levy
for creating “Parks and Recreation,” “The Good Place,” “Upload,” “Community”
and “Schitt’s Creek.” In a year when binge-watching
was a thing to do, I had a delightful set of choices on offer.
·
I am thankful for
the election officials and poll workers who facilitated a
general election during a pandemic. I am also thankful that more Americans than
ever decided that it was
worth casting a ballot.
·
I am thankful that
the warnings about election and post-election violence mostly proved to be
unfounded, but in no small part due to folks being prepared for worst-case contingencies.
·
I am thankful that
as close as the United States came to the large-scale use of federal officers
and troops on our own soil, cooler and saner heads prevailed.
·
I am thankful to
Donald Trump for providing enough immaturity for a peer-reviewed journal article and a university press book.
I am also thankful that his attempts to override the election results were so
ham-handed that they failed. I am further thankful that he lost the election by
more than 6 million votes, which will liberate some head space for more
important matters in 2021.
·
I am thankful to
the array of biomedical researchers, universities and pharmaceutical companies
that will have combined to produce not one, not two, but three working vaccines
less than a year after SARS-CoV-2 was initially discovered, suggesting that
next year’s Thanksgiving will not look like this one.
·
Finally, I am
thankful for the coronavirus itself — wait, hear me out. As viruses go, it was
highly infectious but not particularly life-threatening for children and
working-age adults. In other words, it was well-suited to be a wake-up call for
the United States. It is highly likely that in my lifetime the country will
face renewed epidemiological and environmental challenges. If the novel
coronavirus proves to be a harbinger of even more serious challenges to come,
then we will be better prepared for them because of our current challenges.
·
AND, on the other hand…
ATTACHMENT FOUR – ALSO FROM the Washington Post
HERE’S WHAT I’M NOT THANKFUL FOR (pre-plague,
pre-election)
By Tom
Toles
November 22, 2017
at 9:10 a.m. EST
We
should not be ungrateful. Especially tomorrow, Thanksgiving. We have been
blessed in countless ways, large and small. And it is good to reflect on those
blessings when gathered with friends and loved ones. But it’s not tomorrow yet.
It’s today. And today there are some things I am profoundly ungrateful for.
I am
nearly beside myself with ingratitude that Donald Trump is president of the United
States. He represents not what is best about us, but what is worst. He is a
fundamentally small, vindictive person, who makes his political appeal to our
darkest nature, and only to advance his personal standing and sense of
entitlement and grandeur. He is about as close to the opposite of what our
founders dreamed of as is conceivable. His personality, instincts and actions
are contaminants to everything great our country has ever aspired to.
I am
bitterly ungrateful to the people who helped put him there, and the people who
continue to facilitate his poisonous presidency. This, sad to say, includes the
vast majority of his political party, who sadder to say had already abased
themselves in their appeals to racial hostility and fallacious economic theories.
Theories that have proved themselves wrong in virtually every measure and have
driven wealth inequality to democracy-rending levels.
I am ungrateful for how all of us have let our
culture slide into excessive consumerism and work-obsession, to the degree that
“consumer culture” is not only actually a concept, but also now our national
definition. We have let this get way out of balance, and that is part of the
reason we have so much trouble weighing and understanding what is truly of
value and what is a true threat, and how our own actions are often working
against our own welfare.
I am
near despair with sorrow in our response to climate change. Yes, this has been
driven by the most cynical of disinformation campaigns, but we have all failed
shamefully in avoiding our responsibility to protect the one planet we will
likely ever have, and most certainly the best planet we possibly could have
wished for.
And
perhaps most of all, I am implacably ungrateful to every person in any
corporation, political position, media outlet or personal interaction who has
helped destroy a culture of facts and truth, insofar as we had one. It was an
imperfect affair, to put it mildly, but truth, like justice and democracy, is a
fragile commodity, along with being a priceless one. All three are built only
through belief and persistence, and can be swept away so quickly by the
unscrupulous. Without truth, we surely will lose our way.
So
yes, tomorrow let’s be thankful, for the love in our lives, the beauty in the
world, the opportunities we have, and the life in our bodies and strength in
our spirits. But today think hard about what we have been doing and where it is
we are heading, and where our true interests and responsibilities lie. And the
day after tomorrow, let’s get to work.
ATTACHMENT FIVE – FROM the Cornwall Seeker (Canada)
20 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR ON THIS “COVID
THANKSGIVING” 2020
by Julia Lucio
Oh, how live can
change in a year! In 2019, on the eve of Thanksgiving, I was getting a feast
ready for my entire family. I was getting ready to meet the woman who would become
the mother of my first grandson for the very first time, and I was happy to
have everyone under one roof. I am never happier than when all my kids, big and
small, are home.
This year will be
completely different for us.
I know many people
do not believe all the restrictions are necessary and will have the big
traditional dinner. I respect that, although I fear they will be the reason why
we will see number get much higher a few week from now. My familly
will be sticking to our household, but I digress.
With everything
being different, I had to stop and pause to reflect on what I have to be
thankful for. This is an exercise we do with the kids every year around the
dinner table, and it’s usually fairly easy–we have so much–but this year, with
everything we “lost”, it can be hard to find joy and thankfulness in our
hearts. But when you look at it, despite the pandemic, we have so much to be
thankful for.
Here is my list of
20 things I’m thankful for 2020. Yours is probably different, but these are my
top 20.
1-
Family
That is the
foundation to my everything. If I picture a perfect
day, all my kids are around. Everything I am and everything I do is for my
children. They may not see it, or always appreciated it, but it doesn’t matter.
They are my world.
2-
Health
I have small
health issues, and I always worry about bigger health issues, but the truth is,
I am extremely lucky to be healthy, and that everybody in my household is also
healthy. My mother has been diagnose with Ovarian Cancer earlier this year and
that has given me a new appreciation for my health. I am deeply grateful for
it.
3-
Water
Running water is
something we take for granted. I am thankful to have drinking water coming out
of a tap right in my kitchen, but I am especially thankful for HOT water.
4-Technology
Can you imagine
this pandemic without Netflix, the internet or, even more importantly these
days, ZOOM or Facebook? It would make everything so much harder. Take a moment
to be thankful for all this technology.
5-Music
When things are
not going well, sometimes all it takes is a bit of music to put you in a better
mood. Try it.
6-Food
Of course!
Especially the grain-fed turkey cooking in the smoker right now.
7-Laughter
A good laugh is
worth so much. It is great for the soul. Laughing moments, those where you
can’t stop and laugh so much that your stomach hurts, are some of the best
memories I have.
8-
Healthcare
So many countries
right now are going through this pandemic and have no universal health care
plan. I am thankful that here, in Canada, we have a strong and robust health
care system, and that health care is a basic fundamental right. And speaking of
Canada…
9-
Living in Canada
It’s truly one of
the most beautiful countries in the world. It ranks number 2 on the Business
Insider’s list of “The 19 countries with the highest standard of life“,
namely for its healthcare and Education opportunity.
10-
A job I truly love
I am fortunate to
be doing what I love doing day in, day out. My work is rewarding and
fulfilling. I hope yours is too.
11-
Walking
Something I
rediscovered recently is hiking. I am thankful that my legs are supporting me
well and that I can walk many kilometres, keeping up
with my kids.
12-
Pets
Life can be a
lonely place sometimes, even when you have a big family. Pets are good friends,
always there for comfort when you’re feeling blue. They love unconditionally.
13-
Freedom
As I am sitting in
front of my screen today, I am fully aware that it is MY choice to be here. My
choice to be in this moment, have this job, this house… My family was my
choice, I decided who I married, I decided what my
life would be. We take this for granted, but there are many places in the world
where it isn’t like this.
14-
Freedom of Speech
And with freedom,
comes freedom of speech. I have a fundamental right to say what I want to say
without fear. I will not be killed for my opinion. I will not be thrown in jail
because I criticize my government.
15-
The roof over my head
Even in these Covid times, my family has a roof over its head. I was
fortunate enough to be able to keep paying my mortgage, with a little help. We
have shelter, we are safe. This is something to be very thankful for.
16-
The perfect smell of fresh cut grass or fallen leaves
Is there a better
smell?
17-
Free Education, and the choice to decide whether or not to return my kids to a
physical school.
It’s been a bit
rocky at first, but we can’t complain. Our school system has adapted and is
offering free education to everybody, even those who prefer to homeschool. I am
grateful that I have this options.
18-
Movies
So many to see!
19-
Art
Similarly to
music, a nice piece of art can change your mood in an instant.
20-
To be alive (And God if you believe)
Every day that I wake
up, I thank God for being alive, for giving me another day. I have been having
really deep thoughts about life and death in recent months, questioning my
purpose on this earth and finding that time is going on so fast. I can’t
control time. All I can do is be happy that I am here today. So I am.
Do you have other
things on your list? Comment below! And Happy Thanksgiving from my family to
yours.
ATTACHMENT SIX – from the Houston Chronicle
Opinion: 2020 has
been a brutal year, but these readers remind us what they are grateful for amid
loss, love and bravery
Nov.
26, 2020 Updated: Dec. 1, 2020 8:46 a.m.
Music
heals the soul
As
the saying goes, music heals the soul. One of my favorite hobbies is choral
music; I‘ve been singing since elementary school. Due to the pandemic’s
restrictions, I haven’t sung with my community choir or my church choir since
February. Somehow singing in the shower isn’t quite the same and pandemic
fatigue was finally catching up to me. In the nick of time, my community chorus
decided to record a few virtual songs to release for the holidays. Over the
past few days I’ve been practicing with the rehearsal tracks or plunking notes
on my piano and tomorrow I’ll be ready to record my parts. Now a Thanksgiving
without my three sons around the table isn’t looking as bleak as it was a week
ago.
Dave
DiCamillo, Tomball
First
responders
First
and foremost I am thankful for all those individuals who help by serving our
community courageously taking risks we cannot take.
You
will find them in many places throughout our city, especially in our hospitals,
testing sites, grocery stores, police stations and fire stations, garbage
trucks and buses.
On a
more personal note I am grateful I have already had many opportunities to
travel and visit other countries during times when crowds were accepted and
often enjoyed, hugs and handshakes were welcomed.
With
much gratitude I am thankful for the many times in the past when I walked with
my students during their commencement, never dreaming of anything for them but
success and happiness.
Thankful
too that most everyone today can think back on those happy memories and reflect
and share this Thanksgiving knowing these times will come again.
Josephine
Maxwell Eager, Pearland
Limitless
learning
In
pre-pandemic days, the West University branch of the Harris County Public
Library was a bustling, cheerful place. I was a frequent visitor and enjoyed
browsing the new releases and open stacks and sitting down with one of the many
magazines on display. That building is now closed to the public. But HCPL has
made it possible for library patrons to continue to check out books and DVDs.
You follow the same procedure for placing books on hold except that you make an
appointment to pick up the book you requested and it is handed to you through
the slightly open door by a masked librarian. Of course, there are e-books and
online newspapers, but I prefer to hold the book or newspaper in my hands. I am
grateful that I can still enjoy the benefits of the library, but I do miss the
helpful staff and the pleasure of finding new books. Due to COVID-19
restrictions, my world has narrowed, but with the vast catalogue of the Harris
County Public Library at my fingertips, my horizons are limitless. Thank you,
HCPL.
Patricia
L. Day, Houston
Young
and helpful
I am
so very thankful to have two young men who live in my building downtown
watching over me. Their goal is to protect me from COVID-19. They check on me
several times a day, shop for me and truly entertain me. I feel so fortunate
and blessed to have them helping me to navigate my 91-year life. In those 91
years, I’ve never had such a blessing and so much love!
Barb
Hornbeck, Houston
Community
Thanksgiving
is a time to reflect on all the blessings in my life — not the least of which
is being part of a great community of people; specifically, my neighborhood. I
am thrilled to be associated with such an amazing, dedicated and determined
group of people that go the extra mile to help out a neighbor in need. Every
day, I witness firsthand the sacrificial devotion of each member of my
community. I see the thoughtfulness displayed by the members of my community;
and, that thoughtfulness is crucial during these challenging times.
COVID-19
has impacted each of our lives — from the disruption of our daily routines to
the loss of loved ones. Yet, in the midst of this tragedy, members of my
community reach out to their neighbors and provide the aid and comfort that is
so urgently needed. Whether they help those at greater risk of infection, bring
meals to neighbors devastated by the loss of a loved one, or call to check on a
neighbor they haven’t seen in a while, each member of my community represents a
shining beacon of hope during this dark time. And I am extremely thankful for
that!
John
Di Genio, Cibolo
Health
care workers
I am
truly blessed and grateful to be declared cancer free after 12 rounds of
chemotherapy in 2019. All my tests have come back negative. I am grateful to my
oncologist, internist, surgeon, gastroenterologist and their staff for the
wonderful care and compassion shown to me during a difficult time, and
especially family and friends that kept me in their thoughts and prayers.
Prayer is powerful, and it works. I am especially grateful for my wonderful
husband who kept my spirits up day after day.
Harriet
Watts, Houston
Family
and fur babies
While
this year has distanced us socially, it’s brought more Zoom and FaceTime calls
with my parents, friends, and family as well as a precious 7-year-old black
lab, Buck, into my life. While working from home, a dog is both grounding and a
reminder of the simple things in life. I’m thankful for each walk and reminder
for scratches while working.
Haley
Loflin, Houston
Constant
gratitude
Despite
the trials of 2020, I have spent more time on my knees expressing gratitude than
years past. Relationships have become more meaningful and my communication more
intentional. Much has happened for my family in 2020. The most exciting being
that we welcomed a son into our home. I miscarried last year and the pain from
loss made his birth more thrilling and sweeter than I could have dreamed. I’m
so grateful for the health care workers who were on the journey with my family
and I — they are heroes. We also moved in 2020 as a hurricane was predicted to
make landfall. I was six months pregnant and stressed about how to safely seek
help moving with the coronavirus. I was alone most of the time with our toddler
since my husband, a police officer, was working 12-plus hour days to protect
and serve. With significant help from family, very close friends and church
members, we survived the move. Not to mention I’m grateful for my husband’s
safety through that grueling time. This year has been an emotional roller
coaster. Through everything, gratitude is one of the few constants I will
remember when I reflect back on 2020.
Ashley
Ochoa, Houston
Sacrifices
Three
months ago, I had two healthy parents. This fall, however, both of my parents
experienced sudden, life threatening illnesses. One survived, the other did
not. More than ever, I am incredibly thankful for the selflessness, wisdom,
professionalism and care both of their medical teams exhibited. My mom’s
medical team included the front line of an emergency room in a small Texas
town. Although undoubtedly exhausted from battling COVID-19 for almost nine
months, the emergency room team fought for my mom as though she was their own
and treated my family with a compassion that helped us to accept the
unfathomable. When my father experienced a stroke a few weeks later, one of the
finest medical care teams acted with an urgency and expertise beyond compare.
As I watched the doctors bring my father back to life, I understood how blessed
we were to have the Texas Medical Center in our backyard. This year, we have
asked our medical professionals to do more than is reasonable. We have asked
them to sacrifice their own health and have asked their families to do the
same, for us. From our family to every medical professional, we say thank you.
We know the road this next few months will likely be more difficult than ever,
but we are thankful for you and we will support you without question, just as
you have supported us.
Carter
Dugan, Houston
Virus
can’t kill hope, love
In a
year that will forever stand out for the unimaginable loss the world has
suffered, it is perhaps counterintuitive that I have more to be thankful for
than in any year I can remember.
I
started the year as a first-year law student and miraculously ended the year as
a second-year law student. The miracle was not my ability, but the resilience
of the unseen heroes who helped my grandmother and worked through pain and
silence, anonymous and brave in equal measure. I encountered these heroes at
CHI St. Luke’s Health — The Woodlands Hospital after my 84-year old grandmother
was found unresponsive at home in late May. Rather than celebrate Memorial Day,
she faced destiny in the hands of nurses at St. Luke’s. Armed only with bravery
and love, they turned a near-certain funeral into a family reunion. They gave
us a life we were unprepared to lose. Fearing the worst but riding the elevator
of hope, they courageously allowed me to fight with my grandmother through the
hospital and displayed the humanity that no virus can kill, the love no pain
can conquer.
I am
thankful to the nurses at St. Luke’s.
Ashney Shelly,
Coldspring
A
lucky spouse
I’m
thankful that I not only still love but also like the person with whom I am
quarantined — my husband of 51 years. I wish all spouses could be so lucky.
Amy
Perales, Rosenberg
Keep
talking
Let
me say that 2020 has been a tough year. However being thankful for everyday
things and the extraordinary joy of ordinary things is important. We’ve had to
slow down and have had time to think and hopefully maybe to plan. I’ve talked
to my grandchildren a lot, counseling them to consider the future and how it
will look. I’m thinking about that myself. It’s also been a precious time with
my spouse. We’ve had great talks. Many things will change, and we have to be at
least thinking about that. Education, medical visits, shopping and leisure time
activities — it’s all different. One thing that has been wonderful has been
communication between friends and family. It’s important now — not just
checking in. We want to know if you are still alive and well! Also I’m really
thankful for curbside delivery at H-E-B. A big thank you to them, too. Keep
talking to each other. It’s a good thing. Time is precious.
Brenda
Harrison, Sugar Land
Silver
linings
My
mother instilled in me to look for the silver lining in even the darkest
clouds. She taught me to look for the bright spots. So, during all of 2020, I
have been looking for all the good and positive things. Here are a few things I
am grateful for in 2020. I have been able to reconnect with distant relatives
overseas that I had not seen in more than four decades. This has been a
miracle. Not just connect, but see them in virtual get-togethers. I can’t wait
for the pandemic to be over so I can visit them in person. It has brought us
closer. Not having to drive to meetings and events, I have more time to do
other things that had been on the back burner. I have more time to connect with
family and friends through small notes and handwritten letters. I have mailed
more “Hi!/Hello!/How are you doing?” cards and notes
to family and friends this year than ever before. This will be our first
virtual Thanksgiving. We call it Zoomsgiving or ThanksZooming. My wife is developing a family trivia game
for us to play at the virtual Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to it. For
this I am grateful.
Mohammed
Nasrullah, Houston
Among
the trees
At
least one morning every week, I fill a water bottle and head out to meet some
friends under the oak trees edging the expansive lawn at the Menil Collection. We spread out our yoga mats about 12 feet
apart, in the welcome shade, and we spend an hour or two taking slow breaths,
stretching this way and that and sitting very quietly. Occasionally we chat.
Since March 19, it really hasn’t ever been too hot or too cold to do this. This
weekly practice opened my eyes to Houston in a new way. We don’t have
snow-capped peaks, rushing rivers, wide open prairies or waves crashing on
pristine beaches. But we do have many lovely public spaces, available to
everyone, to enjoy the colors of green leaves against a blue sky or the sound
of jays and mockingbirds re-hashing current events. And despite mid-day in
mid-August, the weather here is fairly temperate. Houston has, surprisingly,
offered respite from the anxiety of COVID-19, the confines of home offices and
masked-up workplaces,and the
relentless echo of the election season. My gratitude, in 2020, is for my city,
my neighbors, my friends, my family and those oak trees.
Julie
Cohn, Houston
Thankful
for Texas
What
am I thankful for? This is easy, I thank God every day for the woman I have
been married to for the past 39-plus years. I am thankful for our children and
grandchildren that have been blessed with health and self-reliance. Thankful to
be a native Texan. I am thankful for the employment I enjoyed for 42 years and
made it possible to enjoy retirement. Last but not least I am thankful for the
joy and faithful companionship our fur baby Mady gave
us for 11-plus years of our retirement.
James
Connealy, Baytown
Unexpected
opportunities
I’m
an eternal optimist; I see the glass as half-full, and even during a pandemic,
I see a silver lining and am filled with gratitude. I lead the Episcopal Health
Foundation whose mission is to improve the health of Texans.
This
means we look upstream to address the root causes of poor health by changing
the underlying systems and community conditions. We focus on health, and not
just health care, because we understand that the adverse social, environmental,
and economic conditions in which many live set them up for poor health.
In
the pandemic, we have seen that low income people and people of color suffered
the most because of their life situations. Many were essential workers, who had
to show up, exposing themselves to the virus. Many had preexisting conditions
that made them more likely to get extremely sick or die when infected. The
silver lining is the growing appreciation that while medical care is important,
the path to good health largely lies outside of the doctor’s office. I see this
moment in time as an opening for moving resources upstream to address root
causes. For this unexpected opportunity, I’m grateful.
Elena
Marks, Houston
Serenity
While
it feels like a bizarre, upside down world, I have been marveling at those
folks among us who see past themselves. People of great courage engaging in
selfless acts of generosity and extraordinary decency. My neighbors helped prop
up the family of the man next door who died a few weeks ago.
But
there is a special group of folks who have won my heart this year. It is the
members of the virtual 12-step community that have extended their hands to
those who are trying to catch on to recovery from addiction, an arduous task in
the best of times. They have spent countless hours taking on parts of the
bewilderment, fears, frustrations and despair of their neighbors. They have
offered words of comfort and understanding to those in need. They have lifted
me up when I have felt drained and emotionally exhausted. They have lightened
the load and have been beacons of hope in one of our most difficult times. They
are spiritual and emotional truth tellers. They lead us beyond our differences
and direct us to our shared interests.
For
these heroes, I give my profoundest thanks.
Bill
C., Houston
Quality
time
After
March, life slowed down. I could not have known then how much I was going to
come to appreciate this forced change in the fast pace of family life. Due to
the COVID-19 quarantine, my kids were attending school virtually, and I had to
begin seeing my therapy clients from home via Zoom. No more frantic mornings of
rushing to get kids to school and myself to the office. I rearranged my
schedule to have breaks when my kids were having lunch. My high school senior
daughter was suddenly present in my life again. Since getting her driver’s
license, she had all but disappeared and I had been grieving this. Then
suddenly in March, she was home every evening and we were talking and laughing.
Here we were spending hours of quality time during the last year she will ever
live under my roof. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. I soaked up every
minute I could until school reopened and life began to resume some degree of
normalcy. Losing my first born to out-of-state college was a near-term event I
had been dreading and suddenly, she was home instead of spending every moment
at school activities and with friends. While I grieved for the losses of her
senior year, I secretly relished in this unexpected found time with her.
For
this, I am grateful.
Gina
Wilkerson Watson, Houston
A
safe place
Growing
up, our home did not seem like a safe place. School or playing outside or at a
friend’s house was a relief from the tension at home. When I got married and
had my own home, I still felt relief when I left the house. Those
uncomfortable, anxious feelings had persisted since childhood. This year, with
the risks associated with the pandemic, I one day looked around our living room
and realized that my home is a safe place, and I have been so grateful to
finally come to that realization. It is a wonderful new feeling to find myself
safe, comfortable, relaxed and cozy in my own home.
Barbara
Griffith, Houston
Breaking
news
We
are very grateful for Mayra Moreno from Channel 13 who did a segment about the
urgent need for organ donations. She highlighted my son’s desperate need for a
kidney donor. He has been on the transplant list for two years. The segment has
generated several potential donors — not just for our son but hopefully for
other people in need of organ transplants. So it is with heartfelt gratitude
that our family will always have for Mayra Moreno.
Karen
McCoy, Houston
A
courageous daughter
In
2019 my youngest child came out as transgender after suffering great
unhappiness for most of her 35 years. She scheduled three surgeries for 2020,
and then COVID-19 came. So-called elective surgeries were canceled, although
becoming who you are is not really elective. In fact, she said it was
transition or die. In spite of numerous setbacks, she was able to successfully
transition this year. Today she is a happy, excited woman ready to fully
embrace her new life. So, my gratitude list is long this Thanksgiving. I am
thankful for the dedicated and skilled surgeons and their staffs who made her
gender dreams a reality. I am thankful for the nurses and nursing aides who
treated her with dignity and respect. I am grateful for her supportive
therapist, for the journey is emotional as well as physical. I am grateful for
my family, some of whom are Christian conservatives, who embraced her. I am
thankful for my husband and son who showed great love and acceptance to their
now daughter and sister. Lastly, I am thankful to my courageous trans daughter for showing me how to live an authentic life
against great odds.
Beverly
McPhail, Houston
Everyday
heroes
I am
thankful for the workers who have held us together during this pandemic. I can
only imagine how much worse things would be if it weren’t for delivered
groceries, scientist’s discoveries and the internet’s capacity to connect us
virtually. The everyday person is our frontline — our warrior.
We
tend to focus on those who don’t act in ways that we have come to expect from
Americans, those who haven’t toed the line of what our grandparents did during
WWII, but I’m here to tell you that so many have lived up to that expectation
and have shown true heroism during our time of need. When I simply have my
groceries delivered, go to my doctor’s office or go through a drive-thru, I am
looking at a person who, while donning a different uniform, is just as
important as those who wore their fatigues and battledress because they are
keeping me safe and shielding me from harm. I will never look at them the same.
They are the ones who have kept us together, held us up and feed us.
I am
thankful for them this Thanksgiving.
Dina
Driskill, League City
For
faith and tech
We’re
grateful for our faith and that new technology, YouTube and Zoom, allowed us to
worship and visit friends and family in safety. We’re grateful for all people
in the medical field, from doctors and nurses to janitors, as they keep us
alive while researchers develop new treatments and vaccines against COVID-19.
We’re grateful for businesses that provide pick-up and curbside service. We’re
grateful that our son persevered to marry the love of his life in their
backyard, socially distanced with 14 masked attendees, individual bottles of
champagne, cupcakes and a car parade on the following day composed of friends
who couldn’t attend. We’re grateful for multitudes of opportunities to give to
those who are not as fortunate as we, acknowledging that the labor and lives of
many of them contributed to the goodness of ours. There is so much for which to
be grateful.
Annett
and Chris Matthews, Houston
The
Pilgrims
This
year has been one for the history books. However, this year like every year I
think of those Pilgrims. They crossed an ocean faced with challenges. A little
over a year after landing at Plymouth Rock, my ancestor William Brewster and
other pilgrims sat down with the Wampanoag√ Indians to thank them for
their help in the first harvest in the new land. This just shows that no matter
the challenge, Americans will always overcome.
I
thank my family, friends, co-workers and the Lord Almighty. This is for the
strength they provide in supporting me through the many challenges facing
America. Also we need to remember those servicemembers
who will be far from home during this Thanksgiving. In the end, we as Americans
need to thankful and look forward to the day that these challenges will be
overcome and become part of history.
Joseph
Reid, Houston
ATTACHMENT SEVEN –
from the Brooklyn Paper
OPINION: WHAT I’M THANKFUL FOR AND WHAT
I’M NOT
By By Nick
Rizzo, November 27, 2020
This was certainly a different Thanksgiving than
normal, with so many of us taking precautions to isolate from our families
instead of joining them. Nevertheless, it’s good to practice gratitude, so I
will be listing some of what I’m thankful for this year, as well as some of
what I’m not thankful for.
I am mostly thankful for this year’s election results.
A pretty good primary season that will bring some new blood to the state
legislature was followed by a general election that featured the long-awaited
defeat of Donald Trump. And I’m thankful that when all the votes were counted,
Democrats made gains in the state Senate and held even in the state Assembly.
I’m thankful especially that state Sen. Andrew Gounardes
and Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus
were both re-elected.
I’m not thankful for the election results on Staten
Island. Brooklyn voted for Congressman Max Rose, but Staten Island
overwhelmingly voted to replace him with Nicole Malliotakis.
Yikes.
I’m thankful for the resilience of New Yorkers. We got
hit harder than anywhere else in America at the beginning of the first wave of
the COVID-19 pandemic, but we’ve handled the resurgent second and third waves
as well as pretty much anywhere in America.
I’m not thankful for New York exceptionalism: this
belief that we are totally different — and better — than anywhere else in
America or the world. That exceptionalism caused us to be unprepared for the
coronavirus when it came to us, because we thought we were better than it.
That exceptionalism also makes us put up with a lot of
crappy quality-of-life and government issues that nowhere else in America would
tolerate. We’re a special place and a special city, but let’s not let it go to
our heads.
I’m thankful for the thousands of activists, and the
several dozen politicians, who are trying to push our city and state in a
progressive and compassionate direction even during difficult times.
I’m not thankful for how Mayor Bill de Blasio has handled any of this year’s challenges. He’s
slow-to-react, inflexible, and self-righteous. It’s pretty clear that no one
who works for him is able to get through to him. That’s probably why so many of
them have quit this year.
ATTACHMENT EIGHT – from Invision
Let Your Gratitude Shine!
There’s an awful lot to be gloomy about right now — so
what better time to count your blessings? We asked ECPs to tell us what they’re
thankful for and their replies were inspiring.
October 29, 2020
IT’s BEEN a rough
year … and it’s not over yet. At times like these, when each day seems to bring
another depressing headline or numbing statistic, it’s important to
occasionally take a moment to remind ourselves about the things we’re grateful
for. Amid all the gloom, we wanted to know what ECPs are thankful for right
now.
Judging from the
replies, it seems that despite the many woes facing the industry and the wider
world, there is still an awful lot to appreciate. ECPs shared their gratitude
at being part of an industry that has — while taking some heavy hits — proved
pretty darn resilient, for their resourceful and understanding staff, for loyal
customers, for the friends and family that have provided the support they need
to keep going, for four-legged companionship and even the local liquor
merchant. Many expressed thankfulness at continued good health for themselves
and their loved ones, when so many around us haven’t been so lucky. We hope
that, reading these reasons to be thankful, you’ll come up with a few of your
own.
·
I am thankful to
be able to work again. No one close to me has gotten sick with the virus. I
pray we all continue to strive and survive this. — DANIELLE DONIVER, HERITAGE OPTICAL, DETROIT, MI
·
Having our amazing
patients and the opportunity to help them now. So many other industries are
unable to work. We are grateful that with so many options, our patients come to
us first. — NICOLE LEONARD, CUSTOM EYE CARE, SAN ANTONIO, TX
·
I’m most grateful
for my two employees who have never wavered (Matt and Cassie). They have
continuously devised ways to safely see patients/customers and have kept in
contact with our folks at all times. They are always encouraging, smiling and
thinking of how to keep our small unique eyecare
ministry thriving in these difficult times. — BILLY ISGETT, EYECARE OF FLORENCE,
FLORENCE, SC
·
That we are in a
business that keeps moving forward, innovating and evolving even under duress.
If I had to sit home and be useless, it would suck the life right out of me.
— NIKKI
GRIFFIN,
EYESTYLES OPTICAL AND BOUTIQUE, OAKDALE, MN
·
Headphones. Leisa Lauer, Westcliff Optometry,
Newport Beach, FL
·
I’m thankful we
are still in business and seem to be going strong. Other industries have been
hit far harder, and other businesses have closed around us — some that have
been open for decades. I’m thankful for health and for family. — AMBER
FRITSCH,
OD, PRECISION EYE CARE, MT. JULIET, TN
·
My employee. She
is the reason I made it through this time. — DOROTHY REYNOLDS, OPTICAL ALTERNATIVES,
MILFORD, CT
·
Liquor stores and
friends! — CAITLIN WICKA, SAN JUAN EYE CENTER, MONTROSE, CO
·
“That I own my
building; I have 10 months of expenses saved, no debt, pay
cash for most purchases and am able to promote my business locally and
nationally. — BJ CHAMBERS, CARRERA OPTICAL, MCQUEENEY, TX
·
Good health. My
family is in good health and our staff is in good health. That is not something
to take for granted these days. — ANNIE THOMPSON, LAWRENCE EYE CARE OPTICAL,
LAWRENCE, KS
·
Even with this
COVID stuff we are beating last year’s numbers in optical. Capture rate is up.
If the patients are coming in they are getting glasses; otherwise they are
holding off for their appointments. Also, our owners! Drs. George E. Fava, MD,
and Mark C. Maria, MD, have been extremely kind and responsive to the
employees’ needs during this pandemic. Feeling appreciated for what you do is
worth so much more than people know. — MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ, FAVA & MARIA EYE
ASSOCIATES, LEBANON, PA
·
My grandchildren
and children top the list, and getting to spend more quality time with them.
— KEN
WEINER,
OD, LIVINGSTON, NJ
·
I’m most grateful
for my family. I love getting home and getting hugs from the little ones. Just
makes all the anxiety and troubles of the world disappear for the night.
— JOSH
BLADH,
DR. BLADH OD, DIAMOND BAR, CA
·
The health of my
friends and family, and the bonding that has brought us closer. — LINDSEY
PULFORD,
INSIGHTS EYECARE, MANHATTAN KS
·
I am thankful for
my optical family. We have each other’s backs, 100 percent. I wouldn’t have
made it without them. — FRANCES ANN LAYTON, EYE ASSOCIATES OF SOUTH GA,
VALDOSTA, GA
·
I am grateful for
my amazing optical team, their resilient spirit and creativity. Grateful for
the support and encouragement of my family and extra time to spend with them
since we have reduced hours. The simple joys of cooking, gardening and planning
a relocation to a new and larger location. — VERBELEE NIELSEN-SWANSON, OXFORD EYES, ORLANDO, FL
·
I am most thankful
for a healthy family, working for a phenomenal doctor that has taken care of
all of us through this crazy time, a wonderful job that I get to come to every
day, a great staff that works with me, faithful patients that keep our practice
alive, and a world that keeps on spinning through it all. — ANN-MARIE
WEAVER,
OPTIMAL EYE CARE, LEWIS CENTER, OH
·
I’m grateful for
my incredible staff. Their passion for all things optical, their support as I
had to make difficult decisions for the business, and their willingness to make
changes in how we do business, like masks, sanitizing, etc. — PAULA
HORNBECK,
EYE CANDY & EYE CANDY KIDS, DELAFIELD, WI
·
My new husband and
the good life we have together! We got married right as the shutdown started
and endured some difficult times together, but I think it made us appreciate
each other that much more. We each have our strengths and weaknesses and
quickly learned how to feed off each other’s traits to make it all work. Best
part was a nice, long honeymoon … even if we didn’t get to go anywhere. — KIM
HILGERS,
MONSON EYECARE CENTER, OWATONNA, MN
·
I am grateful we
are open and that patients are really embracing the new protocols and
procedures that keep our staff safe. — GAYLE BERGTHOLD, BEE CAVE VISION CENTER, BEE
CAVE, TX
·
Not to sound
cliché, but my wife. She is my business partner, best friend, confidant, lover
and the only person to help me keep my head on straight. — RON
CATTERSON,
CLEAR VIEW OPTIX, THE VILLAGES, FL
·
I am grateful that
I see signs that things are starting to rebound towards normalcy. I am here, I
am healthy, I have a job in a profession that I love, I
get to work with an amazing group of people, so I am very grateful. — PABLO
E. MERCADO,
OPTIMA EYE CARE, ALPHARETTA, GA
·
My wonderful
staff! I couldn’t have made it this far without them! — MARK
PERRY,
OD, VISION HEALTH INSTITUTE, ORLANDO, FL
·
My cat. He just
showed up at the side door of the office. It’s 5:02 pm and he says it’s time to
walk home. — JEN HELLER, PEND OREILLE VISION CARE, SANDPOINT, ID
·
I am happy that my
wife is my best friend, since we have spent quite a while together these last
few months… — TEXAS L. SMITH, OD, DR. TEXAS L. SMITH & ASSOCIATES, CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA
·
I am grateful that
I get to allow people to see the beauty in the world. — HEATHER
HARRINGTON,
ELEVATED EYECARE, DENVER, CO
·
Our amazing
patients! They have been glad to come back, happy to comply with our protocols,
and eager to spend money. — JENNA GILBERTSON, MCCULLEY OPTIX GALLERY, FARGO, ND
·
Right now, I am
very thankful for the care and concern Dr. Pascarella
has for his staff and patients during these COVID-19 times. He has done so much
research on cleaning, protocols etc. I can’t imagine being safer in any other
office than ours. — COLLEEN GALANTI, PASCARELLA EYE CARE &
CONTACT LENSES, NEWTOWN, PA
·
Family, our office
family, a roof over my head, music, positivity, people looking to help others
and work to make the world better. — PAM PETERS, MIDWEST EYE, DOWNERS GROVE, IL
·
My wife, the frame
workshop (suddenly picking up clients from all over the US), my bees and my
health. — KEVIN COUNT, PRENTICE LAB, GLENVIEW, IL
·
I am grateful that
I am a private practice owner. During COVID, being able to adjust my hours
based on my family’s needs has been a blessing. — AMINA EBRAHIM, OD, D VISION EYECARE, ALLEN,
TX
·
I am most thankful
for my family and the minutes that we spend together are cherished! At work, I
am most thankful for masks. After all, I want to be around to spend more time
with the family. — STAR TAYLOR, RICHENS EYE CENTER, ST
GEORGE, UT
·
Thankful to have
time to spend with my family and forge a better relationship with my wife and
soon-to-be daughter. — ADAM RAMSEY, OD, SOCIALITE VISION,
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL
·
God, my family,
and an office that is still running! — ZACHARY
DIRKS, OD, ST. PETER AND BELLE PLAINE EYECARE CENTERS, SAINT PETER, MN
·
Grateful that we
were considered essential and that I never missed a paycheck. — ANGEL
MILLER, CYNTHIANA
VISION CENTER, CYNTHIANA, KY
·
I am so thankful
for my amazing, supportive customers. I am in awe of how they really came to
the surface to purchase eyewear and gift cards to be sure we were going to be
OK. I was brought to tears with the generosity. Also, so thankful for my
employees. We all cried together a lot the past few months. — NANCY
REVIS,
UBER OPTICS, PETALUMA, CA
·
A staff that has
embraced changes that needed to be made to ensure we stay in business. — STEVE
GEIS,
METRO EYE, MILWAUKEE, WI
·
I am most grateful
for having a job during these last seven months. I could not ask for a better
boss who takes care of his staff. — DEANNA PHILLIPS, CLEMMONS FAMILY EYE CARE,
CLEMMONS, NC
·
I’m so thankful
that the pool is open. It’s so damn hot! — JADE KOWALICK, RYCZEK EYE, ST PETERSBURG, FL
·
Grateful my
employer never closed, and that we put strict protocols quickly in place to
protect us and the patients, which allowed us to serve people more efficiently
and safely. — CHRIS DUDLEY, LAKE EYE/PRECISION OPTICAL, WILDWOOD, FL
·
People being
understanding and realizing that we are all in this together. — TAMMY
WARMOUTH,
MAIN OPTICAL, LUZERNE, PA
·
My boss. He has
been awesome throughout this messy year. — CHRIS
CLARK, ADVANCED EYE CARE OPTICAL SHOPPE, PANAMA CITY, FL
·
A healthy family
considering I had one child get COVID but get through it as well. — SCOTT
KEATING,
OD, VISION TRENDS, DOVER, OH
·
When our office
closed for six weeks I had time with my wife and kids I wouldn’t have been able
to enjoy any other way. It was a fantastic season despite the craziness
surround it. — BLAKE HUTTO, OD, FAMILY VISION CARE, ALMA, GA
·
The best staff!
— BETHANY CASSAR, COMPLETE EYE HEALTH, HOLLAND, MI
·
Our loyal staff
members who stuck with us through weeks of unemployment and came back to work
harder than ever while we’re short-staffed! — LARAH ALAMI, OD, HUDSON RIVER EYE CARE,
WHITE PLAINS AND TARRYTOWN, NY
·
I’m so thankful
for my staff. I know so many eyecare providers who
could not get employees to return to work when the community reopened. We were
able to retain every employee, and all returned with confidence and a
willingness to get through this time together. I realize every day that I am
lucky to have a talented, positive, forward-thinking team working on behalf of
my business. — BECKY FURUTA, AVENUE VISION, GOLDEN, CO
·
I am incredibly
thankful that I own my business. I opened when I was comfortable and closed
when I wasn’t. I’d prefer not to have someone dictating to me what my fears
should be. — JENNIFER LEUZZI, MILL CREEK OPTICAL, DANSVILLE NY
·
I’m thankful for
the opportunity to be able to still be around to provide services for our
patients. Thankful to be OPEN in a time that others are shutting down. Thankful
the staff is still all here! Grateful the owner REFUSED to shut down no matter
how hard it got or weighed on her. Thank you for hanging tough Eye Can See
Eyewear! — WILLIAM CHANCELLOR, EYE CAN SEE EYEWEAR, HAMPTON, GA
·
I am most thankful
that the $600 bonus money for unemployment will end and may afford me the
opportunity to restaff my office. I lost two workers
and haven’t been able to hire anyone because people are doing so well on
unemployment. Marc Ullman,
OD, Academy Vision, Pine Beach, NJ
·
I’m grateful for
the points in my day where I can close my eyes and breathe. Given how busy
we’ve been making all the changes to our sanitation procedures, and all of the
increased patient traffic from rescheduling the months we were closed, we are
busier than ever. — TIFFANY FIRER, LIFETIME EYECARE, JENISON, MI
·
Grateful our
office has been healthy. — DOUGLAS
HOLLE, OD, SUNSET EYE CARE, SAN ANGELO, TX
ATTACHMENT NINE – from the Elephant
Journal (India)
20 Things I’m Thankful for in 2020: a Covid-19
Gratitude List.
April 22, 2020
Covid-19 is
perhaps one of the biggest challenges this generation will face.
And it has impacted life at all levels—mental and
physical health, economy, jobs, travel, big and small businesses, education, property, gold, share
markets, basic needs, and freedom. Basically, there is perhaps no one
individual on this planet who could claim that this pandemic has not affected
him or her at all.
Everyone of us is leading a life that is slightly or majorly
different from the one we led prior to the explosion of the virus. The
problems, suffering, deaths, destruction, devastation, and sheer helplessness
are unimaginable and cannot be described. And yet, today, as I stand looking
out at the world, I have a choice to make: do I focus on what is unpleasant,
scary, unwanted, worrisome, and take a fatalistic, pessimistic view, or do I
voluntarily shut out the negative and focus on the positives that I have accrued,
personally, due to the pandemic and lockdown?
Each one of us has the same choice to make. Granted,
some of us are much less affected, while others have lost their jobs, income,
and their close ones. Yet, I would still say: “Where do you want to focus? On
the loss or on the gifts?”
Today, I choose to focus, with gratitude and joy, on
the gifts that this pandemic has brought me, while keeping at the back of my
mind my duties as a doctor and as a citizen of my country and this planet to
engage in safe health practices, hand washing, wearing a mask, avoiding
anything that is not absolutely necessary, actively promoting social distancing, and following the guidelines issued
by the government and by the World Health Organisation.
Here is a list of
20 things in 2020 which I am thankful for—my Covid-19 gratitude list:
1. This pandemic and lockdown has given me enough time
to be able to relax, rest, and think about my life, my priorities, my beliefs,
my dreams, my shortcomings, my relationships, my passions, and my
goals—something that feels impossible to do when life is spinning by, like
crazy.
2. This situation has made me realise
who my true friends are, and who they are not. We can now, because of this
tragedy, easily identify those who genuinely care about and love us, and those
who are in relationship with us out of compulsion or out of their own needs.
3. I have realised who I
love, and who or what is dear to me. They are my close family and a handful of
friends, with whom I am in daily contact over the phone—people who honestly ask
each other, “How are you? How are you coping? Is there anything you need? Take
care. Stay safe.”
4. I recognize that the human mind is capable of
flights of fantasy, can take us into the future, and can fabricate all sorts of
scary scenarios. I am grateful that this pandemic has made me understand the
true value of being focused on the present moment, the now. I used to talk about being in
the now, but now I know what it really means—where the moment I think about
tomorrow, my heart races and my palms sweat and I am forced to bring my
thoughts back to what is actually happening, in this moment.
5. Every morning, I am grateful that I am alive and my
immediate family and friend circle is healthy. I thank the Almighty for keeping
us safe, for today.
6. I have realised that fear
comes naturally to us, and every fear is actually a chance for us to go through
it and overcome it. But invariably, when there is no pressure, we tend to avoid
or deny it. The coronavirus pandemic has ensured that we have nowhere to
escape; we are being forced to face our fears, head on, if we are to remain
healthy and safe.
7. Money is needed, of course, but the pandemic has
taught me how little we actually need to have a fulfilling life. We only need
25 to 50 percent of what we were spending. The rest is luxury.
8. The biggest challenge of the pandemic is to the
human ego, and especially to hypocrisy. This pandemic has shown me that only
truth can survive. There is no place for hypocrisy in the world
post-coronavirus, and the sooner we realise this, the
better it is for everyone.
9. I am thankful to be able to see a sunrise or a
sunset, a bird chirping, a dog crossing the street—things I took for granted
earlier. I’ve learned to cherish everything.
10. I now see that nature can easily exist without
man, but man wouldn’t last very long without nature, which is a humbling revelation.
11. Man is an interdependent creature, and this virus
has made us value those who work with us or for us. We have a chance to witness
their true value and to hold them close to our heart in the future.
12. Love is the only thing that truly matters.
Everything else—money, pride, fame, assets, position, degrees, arrogance—all
stand paralysed in the wake of the virus. But love is
the only thing growing along with the virus. And in the end, love will be what
helps us triumph over the virus.
13. Health is so important and we tend to neglect it
so easily by poor eating choices, lack of exercise, lack of rest, and
unnecessary worry. Covid-19 affects those with pre-existing diseases, and it is
an incentive for all of us to pull up our socks and start eating healthy and
moving our body, so that we keep lifestyle diseases at bay. Eventually, the
difference between those who survived and those who did not might be the
presence of these lifestyle changes.
14. There is nothing like cooking our own food. Once this epidemic is over, we
need to think twice, thrice, or even more, before picking up the phone and
ordering unhealthy meals or junk food.
15. When life decides to humble us, we often have no defence mechanisms, and humanity can crumble in a matter of
weeks or months. This is enough to fill me with awe, reverence, and gratitude
for this life.
16. We are all visitors on this planet, inhabiting it
for a particular amount of time. We are tenants, but problems have arisen
because in spite of being tenants, we have started behaving like owners, doing
what we please with this planet, without asking permission. We violate this
planet, we pollute it, and destroy it for personal gains, without realising that this world doesn’t belong to us. We are only
passing by. How would we feel if we rented out our house to someone and that
person destroyed it? Are we not guilty of the same offence to planet earth?
It’s time to think about how we’ve contributed to that destruction and what we
can do to fix it.
17. I have developed a newfound respect and love for
those who put duty above personal safety: healthcare workers, truck drivers,
grocery shop workers, nurses, ward boys, soldiers, policemen—hats off to you.
18. I have realised that 90
percent of my stress comes from listening to the news and
reading stuff people share on social media. For two days, I shut myself off
from the television and internet. My stress levels dropped considerably. I
would advise others to try out this experiment, especially now, and see for
yourself how much you are adding misery and stress to your lives by remaining
electronically connected all the time.
19. The basic industries dealing in food, health,
electricity, the internet, and water will never face recession. If you are
planning to invest your money in the future, these are good areas in which to
do so.
20. If you don’t have faith or trust—in yourself, in
your family, in your friends, in your community, in your country, in your
elected leaders, in the goodness of mankind, in truth, or in God—you are in for
a rough ride, not only during this pandemic, but all through your life.
Take care, wash your hands, wear masks, keep at a safe
distance, and stay at home. And hold tight to your unlimited faith and trust.
ATTACHMENT TEN –
from ny times
WHAT WE’RE THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR (HEALTH, FAMILY AND THE INTERNET)
By Melissa
Kirsch
·
Nov.
26, 2020
·
Welcome. It’s Thanksgiving, and for many of us it’ll
be smaller and quieter than in years past. I recommend taking a minute to
read Mark Vanhoenacker on how he’s
fending off sadness at not being with family for the holiday;
it might broaden your perspective. And check out Sam Sifton
on adding new flavors to your Thanksgiving dinner —
in the absence of a crowd, you too might veer from the traditional menu and
“play the deep cuts.” (I like the sound of a pumpkin layer cake with caramel
buttercream.)
My own Thanksgiving plans have been scuttled this
year, but I’m looking forward to taking a walk through Brooklyn with some of my
crew and eating turkey breast sandwiches en route (weather permitting). When it
gets dark, I’ll get on a video call with the people I’m missing and we’ll
indulge in everyone’s most- and least-favorite holiday custom: reciting what
we’re thankful for.
I asked you last week what you’re feeling gratitude for this year and
certain things came up repeatedly: health, therapy, family that’s come home to
quarantine, support systems and, especially, the internet, for the video
schooling, socially-distanced visits, information, entertainment and online
shopping it provides. Check out some of the other replies below.
·
“With my job
demands doubled but my paycheck halved, my folks made space in their
overcrowded flat for me. Almost drowning in a debt of my own making, their
generosity has helped me to get back on track, financially and professionally.”
—Gwendolyn Ledger, 47, Santiago, Chile
·
“This year I’m
going to make more of an effort to let my co-workers know how much they mean to
me. I work in the nursing program at Mercy College. I am grateful to be part of
such a wonderful team. We are working hard to graduate smart, caring, competent
and “tough” New York nurses. This year it is clear that it is more important
than ever.” — Karen K., New York
·
“I am thankful for
my husband’s mechanical prowess that has kept my ancient bicycle rolling all
through the pandemic.” —Lindsay O., 64, Chicago
·
“I’m grateful
because I survived Covid-19 and so did my parents. Particularly my dad, a
72-year-old diabetic, who spent 19 days at the hospital with oxygen. Our
perspective on our lives is surely different after these months and what I’m
most grateful for is that now I really try to enjoy each day as if it was the
last.” —Emilio Herrera, 23, Monterrey, Mexico
·
“I’m thankful that
my limited accessibility to social interactions has me placing greater
attention on my friendships during those rare, in-person meetings. For example,
during a socially-distanced cocktail hour with neighbors last weekend, I begged
my wife for “just ten more minutes” when we had to leave. It was a comically
juvenile response, but the sentiment was true.” —Matt Cascarino,
49, Buffalo
·
“I am grateful for
the woman who walked by me on the street and smiled, reminding me that there
are still ways to connect with people from a distance. We were both wearing
masks, but I could tell that she smiled; you know how sometimes you can just
tell?” —Rebecca S., 25, Brooklyn
As for me, I’m thankful for this recording of John Prine and
Kurt Vile playing Prine’s “Speed of
the Sound of Loneliness” and “Sam Stone” in Philadelphia in 2018. The smell of
wood-burning fireplaces wafting through the window on recent chilly nights. And
this profile of the writer Shirley
Jackson, from which I learned that the last words in her journal
were “I am the captain of my fate. Laughter is possible laughter is possible
laughter is possible.”
Tell us.
How are you spending Thanksgiving? What’s on your
mind? Write to us: athome@nytimes.com. We love to hear from you.
We’re At Home and we’ll read every letter sent.
And there’s more inspiration for leading a good life at home over the holiday
and every day below.
ATTACHMENT ELEVEN – from the White
House
President Trump
@POTUS
45th President of the United States of America,
. Tweets archived: http://wh.gov/privacy
Washington, D.C.WhiteHouse.govJoined
January 2017
President Trump’s Tweets
·
Congratulations
Proclamation on
Thanksgiving Day, 2020 | The White House
·
It is my Great Honor to announce
that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon. Congratulations
to
and his wonderful family, I
know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!
*
Note: Today, General Flynn urged the President to
declare martial law, call in the military to arrest or kill all opposition and
overturn the “rigged” election – installing himself as Commander in Chief for
at least the next four years. More on
this next week.
·
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
· Nov
24
8:21
On behalf of the entire
Trump Family, I want to wish every American a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Today we gathered in the Rose Garden to continue a beloved annual tradition:
the Official Presidential Pardon of a very fortunate Thanksgiving Turkey....
·
On behalf of the entire
Trump Family, I want to wish every American a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Today we gathered in the Rose Garden to continue a beloved annual tradition:
the Official Presidential Pardon of a very fortunate Thanksgiving Turkey....
ATTACHMENT TWELVE – from Johns Hopkins
CASES and MORTALITY by COUNTRY (c. 11/28)
|
COUNTRY |
CONFIRMED |
DEATHS |
CASE-FATALITY |
DEATHS/100K POP. |
|
Belgium |
570,829 |
16,339 |
2.9% |
143.05 |
|
San Marino |
1,554 |
44 |
2.8% |
130.24 |
|
Peru |
956,347 |
35,785 |
3.7% |
111.87 |
|
Andorra |
6,610 |
76 |
1.1% |
98.69 |
|
Spain |
1,628,208 |
44,668 |
2.7% |
95.60 |
|
Italy |
1,538,217 |
53,677 |
3.5% |
88.82 |
|
United Kingdom |
1,593,250 |
57,648 |
3.6% |
86.70 |
|
Argentina |
1,407,277 |
38,216 |
2.7% |
85.89 |
|
Mexico |
1,078,594 |
104,242 |
9.7% |
82.61 |
|
Brazil |
6,238,350 |
171,974 |
2.8% |
82.10 |
|
Chile |
547,243 |
15,278 |
2.8% |
81.57 |
|
United States |
13,088,821 |
264,858 |
2.0% |
80.95 |
|
North Macedonia |
59,701 |
1,658 |
2.8% |
79.60 |
|
Bolivia |
144,494 |
8,943 |
6.2% |
78.77 |
|
Ecuador |
189,534 |
13,358 |
7.0% |
78.19 |
|
France |
2,248,209 |
51,999 |
2.3% |
77.63 |
|
Bosnia and
Herzegovina |
85,431 |
2,542 |
3.0% |
76.48 |
|
Montenegro |
33,836 |
474 |
1.4% |
76.16 |
|
Czechia |
515,984 |
7,967 |
1.5% |
74.98 |
|
Colombia |
1,290,510 |
36,214 |
2.8% |
72.94 |
|
Panama |
161,744 |
3,030 |
1.9% |
72.54 |
|
Armenia |
132,346 |
2,090 |
1.6% |
70.80 |
|
Sweden |
243,129 |
6,681 |
2.7% |
65.61 |
|
Moldova |
104,140 |
2,250 |
2.2% |
63.45 |
|
Slovenia |
72,674 |
1,293 |
1.8% |
62.54 |
|
Iran |
922,397 |
47,095 |
5.1% |
57.57 |
|
Romania |
457,848 |
10,884 |
2.4% |
55.89 |
|
Netherlands |
517,045 |
9,343 |
1.8% |
54.22 |
|
Switzerland |
318,290 |
4,571 |
1.4% |
53.67 |
|
Kosovo |
37,792 |
975 |
2.6% |
52.84 |
|
Bulgaria |
139,955 |
3,680 |
2.6% |
52.39 |
|
Luxembourg |
33,409 |
300 |
0.9% |
49.36 |
|
Hungary |
198,440 |
4,364 |
2.2% |
44.67 |
|
Poland |
958,416 |
16,147 |
1.7% |
42.52 |
|
Bahamas |
7,496 |
163 |
2.2% |
42.27 |
|
Ireland |
71,699 |
2,043 |
2.8% |
42.09 |
|
Portugal |
285,838 |
4,276 |
1.5% |
41.59 |
|
Liechtenstein |
1,231 |
15 |
1.2% |
39.57 |
|
Croatia |
119,706 |
1,600 |
1.3% |
39.13 |
|
South Africa |
781,941 |
21,378 |
2.7% |
37.00 |
|
Belize |
5,587 |
141 |
2.5% |
36.81 |
|
Costa Rica |
137,093 |
1,690 |
1.2% |
33.80 |
|
Austria |
270,992 |
2,886 |
1.1% |
32.62 |
|
Canada |
362,604 |
11,916 |
3.3% |
32.15 |
|
Israel |
333,802 |
2,839 |
0.9% |
31.96 |
|
Iraq |
547,215 |
12,167 |
2.2% |
31.66 |
|
Georgia |
123,470 |
1,161 |
0.9% |
31.12 |
|
Honduras |
107,134 |
2,899 |
2.7% |
30.24 |
|
Oman |
122,579 |
1,391 |
1.1% |
28.80 |
|
Ukraine |
712,249 |
12,292 |
1.7% |
27.55 |
|
Albania |
36,245 |
771 |
2.1% |
26.90 |
|
Tunisia |
93,770 |
3,106 |
3.3% |
26.86 |
|
Malta |
9,501 |
128 |
1.3% |
26.47 |
|
Russia |
2,196,691 |
38,175 |
1.7% |
26.42 |
|
Jordan |
207,601 |
2,570 |
1.2% |
25.81 |
|
Paraguay |
80,436 |
1,720 |
2.1% |
24.73 |
|
Guatemala |
121,132 |
4,141 |
3.4% |
24.01 |
|
Dominican
Republic |
141,777 |
2,324 |
1.6% |
21.87 |
|
Bahrain |
86,515 |
341 |
0.4% |
21.73 |
|
Kuwait |
141,876 |
874 |
0.6% |
21.12 |
|
Serbia |
155,994 |
1,423 |
0.9% |
20.38 |
|
Suriname |
5,311 |
117 |
2.2% |
20.31 |
|
Kyrgyzstan |
71,548 |
1,256 |
1.8% |
19.89 |
|
Greece |
101,287 |
2,102 |
2.1% |
19.59 |
|
Cabo Verde |
10,626 |
105 |
1.0% |
19.31 |
|
Germany |
1,038,649 |
16,011 |
1.5% |
19.31 |
|
Guyana |
5,310 |
149 |
2.8% |
19.13 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
356,691 |
5,857 |
1.6% |
17.38 |
|
Libya |
81,273 |
1,153 |
1.4% |
17.26 |
|
El Salvador |
38,405 |
1,102 |
2.9% |
17.16 |
|
Lithuania |
56,095 |
471 |
0.8% |
16.88 |
|
Turkey |
548,244 |
13,191 |
2.4% |
16.02 |
|
Morocco |
345,276 |
5,689 |
1.6% |
15.79 |
|
West Bank and
Gaza |
80,429 |
689 |
0.9% |
15.08 |
|
Lebanon |
123,982 |
980 |
0.8% |
14.31 |
|
Slovakia |
103,106 |
771 |
0.7% |
14.15 |
|
Denmark |
77,236 |
816 |
1.1% |
14.08 |
|
Azerbaijan |
109,813 |
1,291 |
1.2% |
12.98 |
|
Belarus |
131,633 |
1,136 |
0.9% |
11.98 |
|
Kazakhstan |
130,039 |
1,990 |
1.5% |
10.89 |
|
Eswatini |
6,362 |
120 |
1.9% |
10.56 |
|
India |
9,351,109 |
136,200 |
1.5% |
10.07 |
|
Latvia |
15,808 |
190 |
1.2% |
9.86 |
|
Maldives |
12,933 |
46 |
0.4% |
8.92 |
|
Qatar |
138,250 |
237 |
0.2% |
8.52 |
|
Jamaica |
10,600 |
250 |
2.4% |
8.52 |
|
Trinidad and
Tobago |
6,586 |
118 |
1.8% |
8.49 |
|
Sao Tome and
Principe |
985 |
17 |
1.7% |
8.06 |
|
Estonia |
11,323 |
104 |
0.9% |
7.87 |
|
Monaco |
603 |
3 |
0.5% |
7.76 |
|
Philippines |
425,918 |
8,255 |
1.9% |
7.74 |
|
Iceland |
5,346 |
26 |
0.5% |
7.35 |
|
Finland |
23,766 |
393 |
1.7% |
7.12 |
|
Egypt |
114,832 |
6,608 |
5.8% |
6.71 |
|
Equatorial Guinea |
5,146 |
85 |
1.7% |
6.49 |
|
Djibouti |
5,676 |
61 |
1.1% |
6.36 |
|
Republic of the
Congo |
12,470 |
333 |
2.7% |
6.35 |
|
Indonesia |
522,581 |
16,521 |
3.2% |
6.17 |
|
Norway |
35,193 |
328 |
0.9% |
6.17 |
|
Namibia |
14,207 |
149 |
1.0% |
6.09 |
|
United Arab
Emirates |
165,250 |
567 |
0.3% |
5.89 |
|
Algeria |
80,168 |
2,372 |
3.0% |
5.62 |
|
Gambia |
3,731 |
123 |
3.3% |
5.39 |
|
Nepal |
229,343 |
1,435 |
0.6% |
5.11 |
|
Afghanistan |
45,839 |
1,740 |
3.8% |
4.68 |
|
Antigua and
Barbuda |
141 |
4 |
2.8% |
4.15 |
|
Bangladesh |
458,711 |
6,544 |
1.4% |
4.06 |
|
Cyprus |
9,983 |
48 |
0.5% |
4.04 |
|
Mauritania |
8,424 |
172 |
2.0% |
3.91 |
|
Pakistan |
392,356 |
7,942 |
2.0% |
3.74 |
|
Australia |
27,886 |
907 |
3.3% |
3.63 |
|
Myanmar |
86,633 |
1,865 |
2.2% |
3.47 |
|
Venezuela |
101,524 |
888 |
0.9% |
3.08 |
|
Sudan |
16,864 |
1,215 |
7.2% |
2.91 |
|
Kenya |
81,656 |
1,441 |
1.8% |
2.80 |
|
Gabon |
9,191 |
59 |
0.6% |
2.78 |
|
Nicaragua |
5,784 |
160 |
2.8% |
2.47 |
|
Barbados |
270 |
7 |
2.6% |
2.44 |
|
Syria |
7,635 |
404 |
5.3% |
2.39 |
|
Guinea-Bissau |
2,422 |
43 |
1.8% |
2.29 |
|
Yemen |
2,148 |
614 |
28.6% |
2.15 |
|
Uruguay |
5,303 |
74 |
1.4% |
2.15 |
|
Senegal |
15,981 |
332 |
2.1% |
2.09 |
|
Lesotho |
2,109 |
44 |
2.1% |
2.09 |
|
Haiti |
9,264 |
232 |
2.5% |
2.09 |
|
Zambia |
17,569 |
357 |
2.0% |
2.06 |
|
Zimbabwe |
9,714 |
275 |
2.8% |
1.90 |
|
Uzbekistan |
72,513 |
607 |
0.8% |
1.84 |
|
Cameroon |
24,117 |
437 |
1.8% |
1.73 |
|
Liberia |
1,595 |
83 |
5.2% |
1.72 |
|
Japan |
142,778 |
2,028 |
1.4% |
1.60 |
|
Ethiopia |
108,438 |
1,686 |
1.6% |
1.54 |
|
Botswana |
10,258 |
31 |
0.3% |
1.38 |
|
Central African
Republic |
4,913 |
63 |
1.3% |
1.35 |
|
Cuba |
8,110 |
133 |
1.6% |
1.17 |
|
Malaysia |
61,861 |
350 |
0.6% |
1.11 |
|
Angola |
15,008 |
342 |
2.3% |
1.11 |
|
Ghana |
51,225 |
323 |
0.6% |
1.09 |
|
Malawi |
6,024 |
185 |
3.1% |
1.02 |
|
South Korea |
33,375 |
522 |
1.6% |
1.01 |
|
Sierra Leone |
2,410 |
74 |
3.1% |
0.97 |
|
Madagascar |
17,341 |
251 |
1.4% |
0.96 |
|
Tajikistan |
12,082 |
86 |
0.7% |
0.94 |
|
Comoros |
610 |
7 |
1.1% |
0.84 |
|
Togo |
2,926 |
64 |
2.2% |
0.81 |
|
Mauritius |
501 |
10 |
2.0% |
0.79 |
|
Mali |
4,567 |
149 |
3.3% |
0.78 |
|
Somalia |
4,451 |
113 |
2.5% |
0.75 |
|
Brunei |
150 |
3 |
2.0% |
0.70 |
|
Chad |
1,663 |
101 |
6.1% |
0.65 |
|
Guinea |
13,039 |
76 |
0.6% |
0.61 |
|
Nigeria |
67,220 |
1,171 |
1.7% |
0.60 |
|
South Sudan |
3,104 |
61 |
2.0% |
0.56 |
|
Côte d'Ivoire |
21,232 |
131 |
0.6% |
0.52 |
|
New Zealand |
2,050 |
25 |
1.2% |
0.51 |
|
Singapore |
58,199 |
28 |
0.0% |
0.50 |
|
Sri Lanka |
22,501 |
107 |
0.5% |
0.49 |
|
Uganda |
19,588 |
197 |
1.0% |
0.46 |
|
Mozambique |
15,506 |
128 |
0.8% |
0.43 |
|
Rwanda |
5,872 |
47 |
0.8% |
0.38 |
|
Benin |
2,974 |
43 |
1.4% |
0.37 |
|
Burkina Faso |
2,816 |
68 |
2.4% |
0.34 |
|
China |
92,586 |
4,742 |
5.1% |
0.34 |
|
Niger |
1,472 |
70 |
4.8% |
0.31 |
|
Democratic
Republic of the Congo |
5,774 |
94 |
1.6% |
0.11 |
|
Thailand |
3,966 |
60 |
1.5% |
0.09 |
|
Papua New Guinea |
645 |
7 |
1.1% |
0.08 |
|
Tanzania |
509 |
21 |
4.1% |
0.04 |
|
Vietnam |
1,339 |
35 |
2.6% |
0.04 |
|
Taiwan |
639 |
7 |
1.1% |
0.03 |