Hiking on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland – Dr. Fauci on mask-wearing – India’s neighbors – Evening statistics
I went with the Vigorous Hikers along the Appalachian Trail from the Washington Monument State Park to the Thurston Griggs Trail, descended to the parking area, and then returned via the same route: about 16.5 miles and 3170 feet of elevation gain. The Thurston Griggs Trail is the steepest part of this hike, covering about 900 feet in a little over a mile. The monument, or at any rate the original building, is the first monument to George Washington to be completed. It was built in 1827, whereas the more well-known monument in DC was not completed until 1885. This monument was vandalized a good deal, especially during the Civil War, and eventually reduced to rubble. The stone tower was rebuilt in 1882, but a crack in the wall that went unnoticed and thus was not repaired again reduced the structure to ruin. The current tower was completed in 1936. Even though it was closed, we still were able to obtain the view of the Cumberland Valley from the top of South Mountain, on which the monument is located. This valley is part of a migratory route for raptors such as hawks and it can get crowded in September, when the hawks pass through; but during the spring season it is less well-frequented and our group had the area to ourselves as we gazed upon the valley below.
The segment itself is a pleasant section of the AT, going through forest that seems, on account of the dense growth that screens out noises from the roads that intersect it, much more remote than it is in actuality. The hike included an excursion along the 1/4-mile spur trail to Annapolis Rocks, which provides a 180-degree vista into the valley. Although Hagerstown is nearby, it is is not visible from the rocks (which may be just as well) but the hamlet of Boonsboro and the lake in Greerbrier Park are readily discernable. The cliff top is visible from I-70 close to the Hagerstown exits. This viewpoint is a popular destination, since the parking area on Rte. 40 is only about 2¼ miles from the rocks. Happily, it is much less crowded on weekdays. The AT section contained an abundance of wildflowers, of course, including numerous May apples, whose creamy-white petals and vivid yellow stamens are usually well-hidden under the umbrella-like leaves but which in this area were prominent enough to be seen without necessitating any stooping.
Dr. Fauci announced that rules for mask-wearing indoors may be relaxed “soon,” i.e., within a year’s time. I believe that states will be reversing policy on this matter considerably earlier. It is important to remain prudent but the nation as a whole has been vaccinating to some purpose. Of the population 18 years of age or older, 58.4% have received a single dose and 44.7% are fully vaccinated. Among seniors 65 years and older, 83.8% have received a single dose and 71.6% are fully vaccinated. The vaccines are now available to young adolescents 12 years of age or older, and this group is beginning to receive them as well. Biden has a target date of 70% of the population getting vaccinated by July 4th. He may be hindered in this goal by the segment of the population that has refused the vaccines to date, but these holdouts may change their minds as they see how much more freedom of movement the vaccinated have over the unvaccinated.
The severity of the pandemic in India has been spreading to its neighbors. Nepal has closed many of its border crossings with India and has extended its lockdown to the end of May. The situation with regard to availability of ICU beds and ventilators is similar to that of its neighbor; virtually none are now available to new patients. Pakistan has imposed a 10-day lockdown, despite the fact that this period includes Eid-al-Fitr, one of the most important holidays in the Muslim calendar. Health officials have warned that hospitals are operating at close to capacity and they are struggling to increase the number of ICU beds. International flights have been slashed and border crossings with Iran and Afghanistan are closed, except for trade. In Sri Lanka cases are undergoing a similar spike, with over 2500 new cases per day, by far the largest it has seen since the pandemic began. All travelers from India are currently barred from entering the country. In Bangladesh, case numbers rose in early March, prompting its government to impose a national lockdown on April 5th. The lockdown has been extended to May 16th. It also closed its land border with India for two weeks since April 26th. These measures appear to have been effective; the daily case rate has since diminished significantly. In all of these instances, the figures for new case rates and mortality rate are suspect; they are probably much higher in reality than the numbers reported. India is not exporting vaccines at this point, which means that all of its neighbors will have to get them from donor nations such as the U.S.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 160,305,091; # of deaths worldwide: 3,330,324; # of cases U.S.: 33,549,724; # of deaths; U.S.: 596,946.