CERT training – Resumption of in-person religious services – More violence in Myanmar – Traffic jam in the Suez Canal – Hesitancy to accept the vaccine – Evening statistics
CERT training is now complete. This last day consisted of a simulation of an emergency situation, that of rescuing people from a house battered by tornados. The instructors said afterwards that we as a class did well Although allowances must be made for the reluctance of instructors of volunteers to say anything that might sound like discouragement, I was pleased overall with our performance. To be sure, we forgot certain details of procedure – for instance, instead of referring to the sides of a house as “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D” when reporting, I would talk of the house’s north or east exterior wall (I tend to think with reference to points of the compass). But we worked together well, without disagreements and meshing our movements together smoothly; we followed instructions from the commander and reported to her all of the information we could glean; we “rescued” nine victims (only mannequins, of course, but some of them were heavy, and were a bit of a challenge to carry down flights of stairs and over uneven terrain) and then tended to them in the triage area. The greatest reservation I still feel about participating in an actual emergency is that the protective gear we use can interfere with the tasks we perform: it is not easy, for instance, to write legibly with hands encased in safety gloves, and the safety glasses tend to fog up when they are worn in conjunction with mask covering the nose and mouth. But the exercise as a whole gave me more confidence that if an emergency does arrive I will be able at least to acquit myself passably.
It is curious to reflect that I was prodded into taking such training on account of the virus. Several months ago I contacted the city government to inquire about ways of assisting the health care professionals, who at that time (and for many months afterwards) were undergoing great strain. But the only positions available for volunteers required some degree of medical training. Eventually, however, they contacted me to suggest this alternative.
During the drive back home I went by a church that posted a notice that it will be holding in-person services for Easter. At this point Virginia regulations permit in-person religious services, with certain caveats: congregants must sit six feet apart, they must wear masks, signage must be posted notifying people with COVID symptoms to stay away, and any items used to distribute food or beverages either must be disposable or washed or cleaned between uses between individuals who are not family members. It is to be hoped that these relaxations are not premature. But it is understandable that people wish to worship with one another again. At this time last year when I wandered in the city on Easter Sunday I passed by a church whose priest was performing the Easter service out of doors – the building, of course, having been closed off – with himself as the sole attendee, patiently going through the entire liturgy even though there was no one present physically. In all probability his dedicated performance of the service was being viewed by church members via Zoom; but it was a melancholy spectacle nonetheless.
Today is Armed Forces Day in Myanmar. It originated as Resistance Day, commemorating Burmese resistance during the Japanese occupation during World War II. Usually this annual holiday is a harmless affair celebrated with parades in various cities. But on this occasion it led to violence and the deaths of dozens of protestors in many cities. It is not certain how many were killed, but the death toll today could be as much as 114. This does not include those who have been imprisoned and have met their deaths through torture or execution since the takeover, their number is estimated to exceed 300. The top U.S. military commander is making a joint statement with other senior military commanders from countries around the world, including in Asia and Europe, condemning the violence and stating that the country’s military has lost credibility with its people. International pressure has had little observable effect on the junta at this point, but it is possible that its members may be shaken, if only a little, by condemnation from fellow military commanders.
A giant container ship remains stuck sideways in Egypt’s Suez Canal, having been run aground by strong winds. It has been immobile for five successive days and there is no definite timetable as to when it can be freed. This incident has far-reaching implications: at least 10% of the ships involved in maritime trade pass through the Suez Canal, including those carrying a significant percentage of the world’s oil supply. Shipments of oil to Europe in particular are affected. At this point 321 ships are haplessly waiting near Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea, Port Suez on the Red Sea, and in the canal system on Egypt’s Great Bitter Lake while authorities continue to make efforts to make the ship mobile again.
According to a recent poll, about 25% of Americans will refuse to take any of the COVID vaccines. This unwillingness to become vaccinated falls mainly among party lines, with 36% of Republicans saying they will avoid the vaccine, compared to just 6% of Democrats. I, at any rate, am not one of these holdouts: my second dose is scheduled for tomorrow morning.
Today’s statistics as of 9:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 127,260,352; # of deaths worldwide: 2,788,753; # of cases U.S.: 30,916,454; # of deaths; U.S.: 561,997.