Stay home. If you can. While the ominous threat of COVID-19 continues upon all ragey- and spready-like, most, fortunately, are seeing less than severe symptoms.
But not everyone. Which is the crux of the coronavirus disease. If you are bleeding from your eyeballs with a case of Ebola, our health officer recently noted, people might take note and avoid you on the street or in the local concert hall.
Not so with COVID, which is invisible, and it’s part of why so many act as if it’s no big deal. This, despite about 850,000 Americans dying from COVID-19 to date (or 5.5 million worldwide), compared with the flu, which kills up to an estimated 650,000 worldwide each year.
Being out and about – near other people, in other words – is why so many are catching the virus and then having to stay home from work. That leads to things like service industries slowing down quickly.
Hence, the stay-at-home warning as a precaution to prevent even further spread of the virus. (Again, if you can.)
That means we’re back to pushing online events. A handful are on our calendar, which you should always check out. Here are a few:
- Get schooled on Nevada mining history with Neil Cobb and the Nevada Historical Society. It’s online here. The talk promises to be “a wonderful history series that delves into fascinating Nevada topics with local experts. Neal Cobb is a passionate historian and honorary curator for the Nevada Historical Society. He loves all things Nevada.” Get more details.
- Support youth in need. Coffee with CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, advocate for abused, neglected children in the foster care system. This online introduction to CASA is part of the ongoing need for volunteers. We spoke with a CASA teen some time ago and can attest to how beneficial volunteers can be. Read more.
- Get to know your library system. The Washoe County libraries are the unsung hero facilities of our community. Free ebooks, magazines, movies, internet access… Limitless knowledge is available at one of the many local libraries and online. They have a board of trustees, which is meeting this week. Find out more.
- Did you know that wildfires severely degrade Lake Tahoe water quality? It’s true. Fine sediment – and other contaminant – runoff into the lake is bad news. So is smoke. Oh, and the pesky runoff stuff also gets into municipal water supplies. Randy Dahlgren, soil biogeochemist (retired) from UC Davis, is scheduled tell you all about it.
- Eat better. Most of us need this. The university is offering nutrition courses online in both English and Spanish. A bunch of classes are scheduled, and “you will receive gifts such as a cutting board, measuring cups, a cookbook and many more items to help you apply the information you learn in the course.” Neat stuff.
Stay healthy. Learn more. Eat better. We’ll see you next week with another list of Reno-area events hopefully not hampered by rising cases of omicron.
