Today marks the one year anniversary of the lockdown.
It is hard to believe that it has been an entire year. I looked back and this thread began not long before on February 28 with a report from J. Eriksson on a "state of emergency" that had been declared in Japan in response to the newly spreading virus. It appears that they had already gone into their own lockdowns before us. We were, however, already talking at that time about live streaming our services, something that is now commonplace. However, it is interesting that the thread was political from the start, even as it is at times now. I noted at the time that the CDC considered the "potential threat" in this country as "high," but the "immediate threat" for the "general public" as "low." That was Feb. 29.
We were already 16 pages into the thread this time last year (March 11), and we were initially discussing the elements of the Sacrament, specifically the use of wine. It wasn't until 5:20 that someone reported that "The Episcopal Diocese of DC has canceled all worship services and closed its churches for at least two weeks."
On March 12 I reported that the WHO had officially declared the coronavirus as a pandemic. I also noted that the President had declared a 30 day travel restriction on travel from Europe. Dr. Benke that same day reported: "...our Atlantic District Task Force on Disasters and Emergencies is also getting out information for our congregations including whether to hold services and how to take precautions." I then noted that "In California the governor "urged an end to gatherings of more than 250 people to counter the spread of new coronavirus." Benke then noted that this was "unfolding on an hour by hour basis here in NY." On that same day I noted that "the governor of my state [Wisconsin] has just declared a public health emergency in Wisconsin and we have only 6 confirmed cases of caronavirus." In also wrote that "Dr. Ashok Rai, Prevea Health President/CEO was also quoted as saying the United States health care infrastructure is not designed for a pandemic."
A year ago we were, in a sense, just waking up to a new and frightening reality, with which none of us had any prior experience. Some shared a few historical items from the Spanish Flu, but by and far we were trying to make sense of an unprecedented global event. Events were being cancelled right and left, warning statements were being issued, but we had no idea of just how the next twelve months would pan out.
Now the debate is how we ease out of the restrictions into which we were placed a year ago.