Count Your Blessings in the Viral Age

I feel so sorry for my old British Air Force buddy, George. Like me an immigrant to the US, he was living happily with his married son in the Mid-West when the virus struck. Both son and daughter-in-law lost their jobs and had to move into smaller accommodation — with no room for 88-year old George.

He landed up in old folks home, which is now under lockdown because of COVID-19 cases. He described to me the misery of not being able to leave the room, not being able to touch anything for fear of contagion, the loneliness and boredom of staying under lockdown with no…