Canespace

Let's Play Ball: Here Is My Plan

Even as some States begin to relax COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, many federal, state and local officials are beginning to develop plans on if, when and how their cities, states and the Country as a whole can eventually resume normal operations. These plans also include when large crowd events such as religious services, concerts and sports events can resume.

The fact that the ratings for something as mundane as the 2020 NFL Draft from the Commissioner's basement was among the highest rated TV "sports events" ever held demonstrates how important the need to get back on the field, the court, the rink or the track is in terms of healing the Nation's psyche and restoring any sense of normalcy.

While I am not a medical professional or elected official, I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express and I also graduated from the University of Miami (with honors) so I decided I would give it my best shot at solving this situation.

We will divide this effort into four sections: The stadium requirements (seating and sanitizing), the players, coaches and other team personnel requirements (testing and treatment), the fan requirements (testing and PPE) and the season schedule (several options).

STADIUM REQUIREMENTS: 

All stadium personnel tested and cleared before returning to work and once a month during the season.

Sanitize entire stadium including food service areas, bathrooms and seating areas before each game.

Hand Sanitizer stations at entry gates and throughout stadiums at all food service and bathroom areas.

Stagger seating on each row (odd/even #seats) and/or skip rows in between.

First game 20,000 fans allowed with every fourth seat occupied (other seats marked with X).

Second Game 30,000 fans allowed every third seat occupied (see above).

Third Game 40,000 fans allowed every other seat occupied (see above).

Games 4-7 a total of 60,000 fans maximum capacity at all stadiums regardless of seating capacity.

If at any time an outbreak occurs then the season would be halted or canceled.

FAN REQUIREMENTS:

Pre-attendance negative test certification within 30 days of date of first game through private medical doctors, public testing facilities already in place and/or drive thru testing sites located at stadium parking lots (multiple sites/entrances) starting 30 days prior to the season beginning.

Mandatory quick forehead temperature scan at entry.

Fans required to sanitize at entry and throughout stadiums at food service and restroom areas.

Face covering or mask and gloves required for first three games and then recommended after that.

Free college emblem masks and team colored gloves at entry at scrimmage and first three games.

Only season ticket holders may attend. Maximum of 60,000 season tickets may be sold. Season tickets would be priced differently for attending 7, 6, 5 or 4 games in 2020.

This incorporates the fact that during the first three games only 20k, 30k, and 40k fans would attend. For those fans who are younger, in good health and are more willing to take more risk they would be able to attend all seven home games, while for those older or more cautious fans they could choose to attend as few as four games giving both groups opportunities and options.

This also makes testing much easier prior to the season starting and greatly minimizes the risk to a very small sub-group of the population (60,000 max). This also makes it easy to track and trace contacts of this group both while at the stadium and afterwards while in the community.

PLAYERS AND COACHES:

Test all players and coaches prior to practice resuming and scrimmages being held. 

Test all players and coaches prior to each regular season game. 

Any coach or player testing positive to be ruled ineligible to play/coach, isolated and treated with available drug interventions.

All travel is on team only chartered flights and/or buses.

GAME SCHEDULE:

Three week Fall practice schedule in normal time frame (August). Players/coaches tested weekly.

Fall Scrimmages: First scrimmage is closed to the public, no TV. Second Scrimmage is televised but no fans. Third scrimmage is public with 10,000 fans maximum (negative test certification required, social distancing and PPE required) and televised. 

Regular Season Option A: Gradual return with six conference only games with two weeks in between games (12 week season).

Televised team scrimmages in between games that count against other teams.

Two weeks between games allows for additional testing, diagnosis and treatment when indicated.

Two teams selected by conference to play in conference championship game at neutral site.

No National Championship first year, only conference records and championships recorded.

Regular Season Option B: Total return with 12 regularly scheduled games, conference and non-conference.

No changes to regularly scheduled games with seven home games and five away games.

No change to conference or National championship games.

Regular Season Option C:  Eliminate conferences for one year and only intra-state games allowed (8 game practice season).

Eliminates long flights or travel to highly affected areas.

Miami would play all Florida schools: FSU, UF, UCF, USF, FAU, FIU, FAMU, BCC, etc. Teams may play more than once if needed.

It Was All Fun And Games Back Then

Growing up with the Miami Hurricanes was a lot of fun.

Learning to love the rickty old Orange Bowl was fun too.

When you arrived you loved the stadium but you were never sure if you were going to survive it on any given Saturday when the Hurricanes played. It could have collapsed on any given game day. But we lived to talk about it, didn't we?

Growing the Canespace blog and our family was been just as fun. No, make that more fun! The fans, and friends and family that we have formed around here has been a glorious experience. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Well, that was all until there were no sports events anymore.

Then the games, and the fun, suddenly and traumatically ended.

I have documented my long history with watching, rooting for and loving the Miami Hurricanes. Most here are well aware of the fact that I started going to UM games with my Dad at the OB in the early 70's and long before going to games was cool. We saw games, players and coaches that many never heard of.

There were coaches named Selmer, Curci and Saban who all got their shot.

There were players named Otis Anderson, Fred Marion, Chuck Foreman who excelled. And many, many others graced the field with their talent even as Miami lost many more games than they won.

In the 1980s I attended the University of Miami from 1981-1986. After graduating I worked on campus as a Supervisor of facilities maintenace in the academic area of campus and then Manager of facilities maintenance in the residential area of campus. These were really good times in my life.

All told I spent 10 of the best years of my life on the beautiful, tropical and vibrant UM campus in Coral Gables. It was an unbelievable time to be alive.

And I wouldn't change that for anything in the world.

Those were the best days of my life.

And I would go back again in a minute.

But that minute has passed, and what awaits us is uncertain.

Only time will tell what is going to be next.

You Can't Spell C U R E Without "The U"

Twenty-four University of Miami research teams have received rapid response grants to undertake innovative projects that will provide critical information about the novel coronavirus.

Imagine this: developing an oral rinse test to detect COVID-19 earlier, creating a behavior therapy program for parents so that they do not pass on the stress they are feeling to their children during the pandemic, and gauging the effects of COVID-19 on pregnant women and trying to determine the impacts on their new babies. 

These are just a few of the 24 projects recently awarded rapid response grants from the University of Miami’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research. The grants, which range from $5,000 to $40,000, require faculty members and students to develop and execute research that will somehow broaden our understanding of COVID-19 and begin to mitigate its impacts within the next four months.

“Our idea was to take advantage of researchers’ creativity and commitment in tackling some of the most pressing problems around the COVID-19 epidemic,” said John Bixby, vice provost for research and professor of molecular and cellular pharmacology and neurological surgery. “We challenged them to examine the effects of the pandemic on multiple aspects of people’s lives—not just the physical ones, but the social aspects, the economic ones, and the environmental.”

With just 10 days to submit proposals, faculty members across the university flooded the office with applications and more than 70 ideas were submitted. Each award was reviewed by three individuals, and the awardees were selected based on novelty, potential impact on the effort to combat COVID-19, and whether the study could be completed in short turnaround time.

“The faculty response was inspiring,” said Erin Kobetz, co-vice provost for research. “There was a level of innovation across multiple disciplines that demonstrates an institutional commitment to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to the outcomes of those applications that were funded and imagine that they will lead to positive, measurable impact now and in the future.”

After the four months are over, teams will be asked to report their progress, Bixby said. Below is a list of all the projects awarded grants:

• Double-Blind, Randomized Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Pulsed, Inhaled Nitric Oxide (iNO) in Subjects with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Requiring Supplemental Oxygen

This team will evaluate the potential benefits of nitric oxide in treating COVID-19 utilizing the iNOpulse technology, which may potentially allow future patients to be treated outside of the hospital.

Principal investigator: Roger Alvarez, assistant professor of clinical medicine,

• Generating a COVID/SARS VSV Based Vaccine

This team will develop a novel vaccine to protect against the current coronavirus pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Its strategy involves replacing the envelope glycoprotein (G) of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) with the spike of COVID-19. The resulting virus will form the basis of a vaccine to generate neutralizing antibody to the SARS-CoV-2 spike that could prevent disease if exposed to the real virus.

Principal investigator: Glen Barber, professor and chair of cell biology

• Fast-Tracking COVID-19 Treatment: Exploiting the Androgen Receptor/TMPRSS2 Axis

This study will exploit the enzyme TMPRSS2 as a potential link between androgen receptors and COVID-19 by providing preliminary data on whether certain drugs—called androgen receptor antagonists—that are effective and safe for treating prostate cancer, might also be effective in treating COVID-19.

Principal investigator: Kerry Burnstein, professor of molecular and cellular pharmacology

• CORONA: An Engaged Participatory Art Project to Assess the Impact of COVID-19 in Miami.

Artist Xavier Cortada will develop a socially engaged art platform online to mitigate stress related to COVID-19 infection and/or social distancing. He is also working to develop participatory art projects and an online message mural to capture stories from individuals across South Florida as they are affected by the pandemic. https://cortadaprojects.org/projects/corona/

Principal investigator: Xavier Cortada, professor of practice, art and art history

• Risk and Resiliency in the Early Childhood Community in Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Public health emergencies pose huge challenges to the behavioral health system, and consequences on the psychosocial well-being of people in at-risk communities largely go overlooked. This project will first identify community psychosocial needs and then create and disseminate a multilingual COVID-19 online toolkit and resource hub to mitigate negative mental health outcomes throughout the pandemic.

Principal investigator: Bridget Davidson, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics

• Interactive Online Cultural Experience and Technologically Innovative Social Engagement for Older and Vulnerable Populations to Mitigate Stress Caused by Social Distancing During the Covid-19 Pandemic

This team will develop a prototype for a socially engaging online experience targeting vulnerable and older adults where future University live cultural offerings could benefit from a secondary virtual platform.

Principal investigator: Joy Doan, head of Marta and Austin Weeks Music Library

• Brief Cognitive-Behavior Therapy to Support Parent Coping during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since parental stress during disasters or quarantine may be associated with child traumatic stress and/or subsequent incidents of abuse or neglect, this study will examine how parent-directed telehealth interventions using motivational, opposite action, and mindfulness strategies can be deployed during crisis situations to mitigate risk for parents exhibiting mental health concerns during our current COVID-19 pandemic.

Principal investigator: Jill Ehrenreich-May, professor of psychology

• Point-of-Care Oral Rinse Test for COVID-19

This project will enable the development of an oral rinse test that detects COVID-19 earlier and saves lives by directing resources and quarantine efforts to patients who need them most. Researchers will perform testing with the current prototype on a confirmed COVID-19 patient to determine the best antigen and concentration.

Principal investigator: Elizabeth Franzmann, associate professor of otolaryngology

• The use of a novel seroconversion assay to test high risk medical professionals for a history of SARS-CoV-2 exposure

This team will take blood samples from asymptomatic health care personnel working in any patient care capacity in three high-risk medical specialties—otolaryngology, anesthesiology, and ophthalmology—and examine them for the presence of immunity. The results could help South Florida hospitals consider strategies for resource and personnel deployment.

Principal investigator: Michael Hoffer, professor of otolaryngology and neurological surgery

• Effects of COVID-19’s Social Restrictions on Loneliness and Psychosocial Symptomatology

This team will gather data and insight on loneliness and other behaviors in the wake of CDC recommendations for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results will demonstrate the effects of this public health crisis on loneliness, as well as other psychosocial symptoms. The team will also assist public health professionals in preparation for post-pandemic interventions and future global health emergencies.

Principal investigator: Viviana Horigian, associate professor of public health sciences

• Globalizing an Assay(test) for Inhibitors of the Main SARS-CoV-2 Protease

More than 20 models of the viral protease (which if targeted, might stop the virus) have been openly shared on Twitter, prompting labs around the world to begin a collective search for protease inhibitors. This project will provide a cheap, accessible screening test for characterizing potential protease inhibitors and use the available crystal structures to develop effective protease inhibitors through computational techniques.

Principal investigator: Daniel Isom, assistant professor, molecular and cellular pharmacology

• Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Virus in Tissue of Transplant Patients and Organ Donors

Researchers will investigate the ability to detect the COVID-19 virus in donor allograft tissue and frozen tissue. They will also attempt to determine whether the COVID-19 virus in the donor tissue is associated with transmission to the recipient and influences short- or long-term survival, as well as the health of the recipient.

Principal investigators: Hugo Kaneku Nagahama, assistant professor, surgery and Phillip Ruiz, professor of surgery and pathology and director of Transplantation Laboratories and immunopathology

• The Role of Community-Based Organizations in the Mitigation of COVID-19 Related Health and Educational Disparities

Partnering with Breakthrough Miami, a community-based academic enrichment organization for low-income students, this study  will contact families involved with this organization to understand the educational and health-related challenges as a result of COVID-19. Researchers will also investigate the role of community-based organizations in the mitigation of stress related to the concerns of infection and social distancing.

Principal Investigator: Laura Kohn Wood, dean and professor in the School of Education and Human Development.

• COVID-19 in Otolaryngology: Early Identification and Healthcare Worker Protection

Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors play a key role in the treatment of COVID-19, but they are at high risk of exposure. This team will identify ENT issues in COVID-19 patients at the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital and evaluate new approaches to case identification and health care worker protection.

Principal investigator: Xue Liu, professor and Marian and Walter Hotchkiss Endowed Chair in otolaryngology

• Investigating the Protective Effects of Mindfulness Training in Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mindfulness training has emerged as an effective program to enhance cognitive functioning, improve psychological and physical health, and to reduce loneliness in young to mid-aged adults. But little is known about its effects in elderly adults. This proposal aims to offer mindfulness training via online delivery to elderly adults and to assess the training’s potential to protect against cognitive decline and degradation in psychological and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Principal investigator: Ekaterina Ninova (Denkova), research assistant professor, psychology

• Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System Inhibitors Impact on COVID-19 Infection

Individuals who have hypertension, diabetes, or underlying cardiovascular disease have higher rates of mortality from COVID-19 than the average person. Patients with these diseases have a high likelihood of being prescribed ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in order to treat their underlying ailments. This project will examine whether there is a link between drugs that are given to patients with hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease and the outcomes of COVID-19 patients.

Principal investigator:  Savita Pahwa, professor, microbiology and immunology

• Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on Maternal-Fetal Outcomes

This project aims to determine the rate of COVID-19 positivity among pregnant women and their newborns delivering at a tertiary care center in Miami with the highest rates of coronavirus in Florida. They also want to identify cases of maternal transmission of COVID-19, which is critical to establish treatment guidelines, while also answering questions about disease progression, perinatal transmission, and effects on the newborn.

Principal investigator: JoNell Potter, professor of clinical, obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive services

• Increasing HealthCare workforce safety by 3D-printing novel N95 masks

This team will test, evaluate, and create new reusable mask designs for use in the health care setting to limit exposure and protect medical personnel and first responders who treat coronavirus patients. The aim is to provide masks to workers within the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital first. Finalized mask designs can be shared with other medical facilities.

Principal investigator: Carl Schulman, executive dean for research and professor

• Deep Learning Approaches for Analysis of Chest Radiographic Images of COVID-19 Cases for clinical management of the disease

This project hopes to develop a deep learning program that could classify X-ray or CT scan imaging characteristics in COVID-19 patients that could help radiologists categorize them into those patients who require hospitalization, those who will need Intensive Care Unit admission, and those at risk for death. In addition, such a deep learning network could be used to predict the patient’s response to current experimental drugs.

Principal investigator: Radka Stoyanova, research professor in radiation oncology

• Cardiac injury in COVID-19 patients

This project aims to understand the relationship between cardiac injury and COVID-19 severity. The team will conduct an extensive evaluation of 50 patients with a new COVID-19 infection who require hospital admission and will test myocardial injury and inflammatory biomarkers, use cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), and offer a social determinants of health survey. Blood will be saved for future biomarker discovery and genomic evaluation.

Principal investigator: Leonardo Tamariz, professor of medicine

• Defining the Interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with the Brain Endothelium

While respiratory distress dominates acute symptoms of COVID-19, ruptures in the brain’s capillary cells accompanied by bleeding within the brain have fatal consequences in patients with COVID-19. Moreover, impacts of COVID-19 on the brain depend largely on the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to leak in through brain capillaries, the cells of which express the SARS-CoV-2 receptor (ACE2). This study is based on the hypothesis that interaction of the virus with ACE2 disrupts the normal barrier function of brain capillary cells, and induces inflammatory responses derived from these cells.

Principal Investigator: Michal Toborek, vice-chair for research and professor, biochemistry and molecular biology

• Developing a COVID-19 Early Detection, Tracking and Reporting System

Given the surfeit of social media data accompanying the recent outbreak of COVID-19, this group will take a computational and big data-driven approach to uncovering information about viral transmission, social sentiment and response, decision-making, and public health policy recommendations. The group proposes to develop algorithm(s), as well as an online early alert system, to provide early warnings for disease surveillance tied to geographical data.

Principal investigator: Nicholas Tsinoremas, director of the Institute for Data Science and Computing

• The Causes and Consequences of COVID-19 Misinformation

This team will investigate Florida citizens’ opinions on COVID-19, including their thoughts about the causes and consequences of the pandemic, their preferred sources of information, and subsequent behavior changes. They will also assess public perceptions of government responses to COVID-19 to determine how Floridians change their perceptions and behaviors over time in response to changing policies, messaging, and conditions—particularly if they or someone they know becomes ill. This will be one of very few studies to track a statewide population’s opinions, lifestyle factors, and health behaviors during an ongoing pandemic—with clear implications for policymakers, health communicators, and disaster specialists. 

Principal investigator: Joseph Uscinski, associate professor of political science

• COVID-19 Risk Behaviors and Transmission among Young Adults

Because young adults appear to experience fewer cases of the COVID-19 virus, this population may engage in behaviors that contribute to the spread of COVID-19. Yet, little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on adolescent mental and physical health and their substance-use behaviors. This project hopes to collect epidemiologic data on the patterns of mental and physical health, substance use (frequency and dose), and potential disease transmission behaviors among young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Good Hands

Courtesy of The Miami Herald...

When news first began to trickle out of Wuhan, China, at Christmas time about a strange, super-contagious sickness that may have originated in bats at a live animal market, University of Miami President Julio Frenk saw in his mind’s eye a world map turning dark shades of red, as if covered by a widening blood stain.

A man of science not given to melodrama, Frenk quickly but calmly convened a meeting of his emergency operations team at UM. Coronavirus was coming, he said. It was only a matter of when and how hard the invasion would hit.

To Frenk, one of the world’s foremost public health experts, the disease christened COVID-19 was an inevitable sequel. He had been on the front lines during four previous pandemics, including the 1981 Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV/AIDS; the 2002 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS; the 2009 H1N1 swine flu; and the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

But Frenk predicted that the novel coronavirus would be more difficult to contain than the others he’d confronted during his career as a physician, Mexico’s secretary of health, an executive at the World Health Organization, senior fellow for global health at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and dean of Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

He was correct. The worldwide toll: More than 2.2 million confirmed cases and 146,000 deaths.

“The essential attribute of this public health emergency is uncertainty,” Frenk said. “It’s a novel pathogen — a new germ. It’s the first time the human race has encountered this virus.”

COVID-19 operates like a stealthy double agent. Its cunning complexity derives from its ability to hide in plain sight.

“COVID-19 is unlike any other in my lifetime because of its spread and depth of impact in each country,” Frenk said. “It is more challenging than any other because people who are healthy or showing no symptoms can infect others. With Ebola or SARS, people were not asymptomatic; they were very obviously very sick.

“In addition, COVID-19 is transmitted so easily via invisible droplets. No intimate contact is required. So we’ve had to implement social distancing and stay-at-home orders which have led to unprecedented economic consequences. We’re dealing with two emergencies — health and fiscal — at once.”

University of Miami President Julio Frenk, in orange tie, confers with, from left, Drs. Dipen Parekh, Tanira Ferreira, David Lang, UHealth Emergency Manager Vincent Torres, back right, and UM Miller School of Medicine Dean Henri Ford, right, on the medical campus as they discuss demand surge during the coronavirus pandemic. UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

The lightning-spread of the coronavirus contagion meant the standard public health containment strategy could not be sustained for long.

“We always start with containment, tracing contacts and isolation,” Frenk said. “But what happened this time was the disease became rapidly entrenched through community transmission. Then you have to shift to mitigation measures, and asking everyone to self-quarantine and separate themselves from others. That makes it more difficult to flatten the curve.”

Frenk drew on his experience to prepare UM’s 17,000 students and 18,000 faculty and staff. He knew he would have to lock down the Coral Gables campus while ramping up the UHealth system and Miller School of Medicine.

“Dr. Frenk’s background as a doctor and public health authority put us in a unique position to respond quickly, starting in early January,” said Matthew Shpiner, UM’s director of emergency management. “We didn’t have to wait on more information because Dr. Frenk recognized it as a global pandemic right away.”

In his five years as UM president, since succeeding Donna Shalala in 2015, Frenk, 66, has led the campus through preparations for three major hurricane threats — Matthew, Irma and Dorian — and his crisis team knew what to expect, Shpiner said.

“Although a virus is a lot more unpredictable than a hurricane, he emphasized planning even before there was a single case in the United States,” Shpiner said. “He always emphasizes decisiveness and transparent communication. I’ve seen both sides of him, the reserved, analytical, thoughtful side and his passionate, energetic, urgent side. He gives us the confidence to do our jobs.”

UM MAKES CONTINGENCY PLANS, FINANCES CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH

By the onset of spring break in early March, the campus population was reduced by 95 percent to a few hundred students, researchers, faculty, food service personnel, tech troubleshooters and police officers as UM switched over to online learning.

Meanwhile, personal protection supplies were ordered for UM’s healthcare workers, hospital staffing contingency plans were made, and elective surgeries were postponed to conserve bed space.

“UHealth is the only academic health system in South Florida providing critical and highly specialized care to very ill patients, giving us a vital responsibility to our community,” Frenk said. “We expanded our emergency capacity and we’re ready to meet the surge.”

UM is also funding 24 fast-track coronavirus research projects, including investigations on vaccines, an oral rinse detection test, adapting prostate cancer drugs and nitric oxide treatments for COVID-19 patients, protections for doctors and nurses in high-risk exposure circumstances and innovative mental health therapies.

Frenk agreed to become temporary CEO of the UHealth system when asked to step up by the board of directors upon the April 3 retirement announcement by Dr. Edward Abraham. It made sense for Frenk to take the helm during the height of the crisis.

“Dr. Abraham led a dramatic financial recovery for UHealth, which has had its two best financial years under his leadership,” Frenk said. “He had already decided he would retire at the end of the school year.

“Then came coronavirus. Models show we will probably peak in Miami in May and have acute demand for care into June. We decided it’s not a good idea to have CEO turnover during this period so let’s mobilize my own expertise and have a timely engagement for the crisis.”

Frenk relishes the adrenaline injection of his multi-dimensional role.

“I grew up with a strong work ethic and I’ve simply expanded my days,” he said. “I like being more hands-on. I like the sense of focus that an emergency requires. Every crisis opens up opportunities for improvement.”

Frenk is a fourth generation doctor on his father’s side. His grandfather fled Nazi Germany and found refuge in Mexico City, where Frenk was born.

“Mexico opened its arms to my family. I and my six siblings grew up with a strong sense of giving back, of reciprocating the generosity that saved our parents’ lives,” Frenk said. “I channeled that through medicine and public service. I chose to devote myself to public health to have the largest impact.

“I decided to make the whole of society my patient.”

“I hope every country understands none is immune. This virus is not going to take care of itself. In the U.S. we’re seeing an amazing example of everyone doing their part. We’ve been shaken by what we’ve seen in New York.”

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article242035071.html

We Will Triumph Over COVID-19

This Corona Virus situation has all of wondering when, and if, life will go back to normal again. We all are asking when will sports events, concerts and other types of public gatherings become totally acceptable again?

We are wondering when can ordinary people begin to act "ordinary" again. 

So that led me to think about a little known song by a little known rock group named Triumph. You may have never heard of them but they had several good songs. And "Ordinary Man" is definitely one of those.

The song goes a little something like this:

Look in the mirror tell me what do you see
Or can you lie to yourself like you're lyin' to me
Do you fall asleep real easy feelin' justified and right
Or do you wake up feelin' empty in the middle of the night
You want to think you're different, but you know you never can
You're just another ordinary man

But it goes on to question many of those we put in charge of this mess and ask about their intentions and motives. While we need to make sure we protect the vulnerable and save lives, Triumph asks who can we trust with those decisions?

Hey politicians, can't believe a word you say
Almighty media, whose truth d'you serve today?
Watchdog of justice, who keeps their eye on you?
Con man, song in hand, who you singin' to?
The more I get to see, the less I understand
I'm just another ordinary man

Ordinary man
Ordinary man
Just another ordinary man
Comes a time to take a stand

With the current "social distancing" situation and "stay safe at home" policies firmly in place all across this great Country the question becomes how long and for what reasons can these draconian public restrictions stay in place.

In these difficult times we often look to the politicians and the media for news and guidance and direction. Triumph would say this...

No rest for the wicked - they get it while they can
The preachers and the teachers and your local Congressman
Everybody plays the game they played since time began
Lawyers and accountant - your media man

Everybody's talkin' but nothin's gettin' said
You're looking for the truth you better look inside your head

I see the flash of lightnin'
I hear the thunder roll
A hungry knife, a slice of life
It cuts another soul

Power finds a way to those who take a stand
Stand up ordinary man

On Easter Sunday we believers look to God and religion to help us see the light. And for Christians all around the world we confessed our faith in the fact that Jesus is risen and our sins are forgiven. We absolutely believe that.

Still, we look at the current situation challenged by daily events and wonder...

Once I thought the truth was gonna set me free
But now I feel the chains of its responsibility
I will not be a puppet I cannot play it safe
I'll give myself away with a blind and simple faith
I'm just the same as you I just do the best I can
That's the only answer... for an ordinary man

In the end, it is up to each individual, and all of us, to make the right choices and decisions that will possibly impact our health today and our lives forever. I am not here to tell you what to do but to consider what your options are.

Because in the end it probably all comes down to this:

No such thing as easy answers 
You play to win and you take your chances

Here's to health, here's to wealth
May you never doubt yourself

Be Safe, Be Smart, Be Well And GO CANES!