By Jean Godden
Washington state, which started out with the first U.S. cases of Covid-19 and the first deaths, has slipped way down the list of impacted states. For that we can thank quick action by Gov. Jay Inslee and our other elected leaders. With closed schools, social distancing and shelter in place orders, we've been flattening the curve and may have passed the outbreak's peak.
A great many of us, those who are not front-line troops, are now housebound, working and learning from home. We're social distancing and learning how to cope with the need to shelter in place for an indeterminate amount of time. Even if we're working from home, many of us have found that social isolation is not without some unexpected benefits.
One welcome boon is that the volume of robocalls has plunged -- not gone entirely, but significantly reduced. Explanation is that call centers located in India, the Philippines and elsewhere, have shut down at least until they can figure how to transfer technology to their workers' homes.
Meanwhile, there is reason to celebrate the many ways Seattleites have discovered to deal with sheltering in place. Some examples:
Distant but close: Neighboring householders have creative ways to communicate, assembling outdoors, six feet or more apart. It could be bring-your-own-coffee klatch or a surprise birthday celebration with hullabaloos exchanged from one yard to the next. Some neighborhoods have organized thank you demonstrations, banging pots and pans for medical personnel returning home after grueling shifts.
Bears galore: Children at home, with playgrounds off limits, are now being encouraged to walk nearby streets spotting stuffed animals in neighborhood windows. Here a stuffed bear, there a beige bunny and here a Husky mascot. Once car-clogged streets are filled with kids on skateboards, families on bicycles and moms with jogging strollers.
Exercise: With community centers and pools closed, Seattle Parks and Recreation is working with Lifelong Recreation and the Seattle Channel to offer on-line fitness videos. Included among their fitness programs are yoga, Pilates and tai chi. And, with athletic supply stores closed down, you need not worry that your lululemons are last year's model.
Reading: What could be cozier for stay-at-homers than spending time with a good book? Facebook postings are filled with suggestions for volumes that you can order from the city's independent book stores. Haven't read it yet, try "The Boys in the Boat," the true story of how nine boys from the University of Washington showed the world what true grit means. The Seattle Public Library and its branches are temporarily closed; but, if you don't have a library card and want e-books, go on line and get an instant digital library card.
Movies: The many options for streaming movies these days have led many of us to conclude that they're not making films today like the old ones. Shelter in place gives the homebound a guilt-free excuse to eat popcorn and binge on classics like "Moonstruck," "Our Gal Friday" and "The Godfather." Just don't draw too many parallels with the president's press briefings.
The news: Fortunately, we still have reporters and newspapers, bringing us the latest on the pandemic. Local newspapers -- both on-line and print copies -- are reporting essential news like "how to get around during the West Seattle Bridge shutdown" and where to go for take-out.
Humor: Jokes may seem outrageous in tragic times, but comedy actually matters more than ever. It can be as lame as "Knock, knock, who's there?" Answer: "No one. We're isolating." Or it could be a lament for "the old days when hand washing didn't take three hours." On-line comedians tell us, "All right, folks, thanks for staying in tonight." Sometimes we tell jokes because, if we didn't, we'd cry.
Besides the goal of saving lives, there's much to be said for this state's stay-at-home, no contact orders. The surprise is that so much good, so much community and compassion has happened during the pandemic. As one Facebook user advises, "In the rush to return to normal, use the time well. Consider what part of normal is worth going back to."
