One Angeleno’s Coronavirus Pandemic Diary: Day 10 – Support Your Local Press

Day 9 of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of midday March 19, there are people infected/deaths: worldwide  237,446/9,784, U.S. 11,143/154, CA 894/17, L.A. County 231/2 (41 new cases)

Day 10 of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of midday March 20, there are people infected/deaths: worldwide 270,718/11,365, U.S. 17,333/218, CA 1,039/19, L.A. County 292/2 (61 new cases – note that L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledges these counts are an underrepresentation).

Today is the fourth entry in a series of occasional journal-type posts about what’s happening regarding coronavirus in one SBLA editor’s neck of the woods.  I don’t expect to post these daily, but am hoping to do 2-3 each week.

My daughter’s mild cough and a very low-grade fever (99.0-99.2) returned yesterday. It doesn’t seem alarmingly serious. A few days – with lots of liquids, lying around, and too many videos – seem to have kept it mild. But what does a “persistent cough” mean? Hers feels intermittent, mild, but with so much uncertainty these days – who knows? It has made co-quarantining with the neighbors a moot question.

I feel like I’ve had a lump in my throat all week, but I think it’s more dread than any actual infection. And I am, of course, already isolating myself given my exposure to my daughter’s cough.

Though my eco-village neighbors and I are emailing, asking favors, sharing some mild symptoms, etc., so far I don’t personally know anyone with a confirmed case of coronavirus.

Today, I have to say that I am really valuing local journalism. As I apprehensively stumble through glitchy feeds following local briefings, I find myself really valuing news outlets including LAist and the L.A. Times for their invaluable reporting during an extraordinary crisis. If you’re doing well, and looking for a way to fight the pandemic, please support local journalism to make sure it stays around during the virus-driven economic downturn. Subscribe to the L.A. Times. Support KPCC/LAist. And if you value our work, donate to Streetsblog Los Angeles.

Today’s recommended reading:

• Bookmark LAist’s No Panic Coronavirus guide
• Metro and other Southern California transit agencies are trimming service, and – I never thought I’d say this about service cuts – it’s a good thing
• The ultimate nimby? Price Tags on neighbors opposing drive-through coronavirus testing in Darien, Connecticut

Image/Video of the day:

Naomi Klein on Coronavirus Capitalism – what “ideas laying around” should be included in a coronavirus response that makes sense for cities, streets, equity, climate, and more?

For a more fun COVID-19 explainer, watch this short from German animation studio Kurzgesagt.