The Rise of the Corona Challah: Crazy Days

I found this photo on the Internet.  I wish I'd thought of this!

The Rise of the Corona Challah.

 I found this photo on the internet, of a #coronachallah, and I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry, which is about right for the sign of the times.

The Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times." comes directly to mind.

This is not your ordinary Friday, and I guess we shouldn't have an ordinary Challah either.

Typically challah is braided, to symbolize the weaving of the sacred into the every day, and to symbolize the togetherness and unity that Shabbat brings to a family and to the community.

I think this challah, shaped as it is, is the perfect antithesis of that.  We are on day three of a self-imposed quarantine, and our familal togetherness is a little strained.  Fortunately we have a large enough apartment (and enough doors to close) that we are not in each other's faces 24/7.

There's no real end in sight- Today the governor announced that all of Illinois is on soft-close-down and that non-essential trips outside are being discouraged.   Trips to the grocery store, to the pharmacy, and to walk your dog are okay, but gatherings of more than ten people are not permitted, nor is non-essential travel.  Just stay at home if you can.  Which was already our plan.

I've heard from at least three friends online that they think they have the virus.  They can't get tested (well one has-- but two are in NYC and don't qualify yet for the severe testing.  They have symptoms, they are strict quarantining, they are doing everything right, but sometimes you get it when you don't know you are going to get it.)

There's a line from Hamilton that I hope this doesn't become:  (there always is)

ELIZA: When he was ten his father split, full of it, debt-ridden, two years later, see Alex and his mother bed-ridden, half-dead sittin in their own sick, the scent thick,

COMPANY:  And Alex got better but his mother went quick. 

From everything I've read,  there will have to be probably 4-6 weeks of strict working quarantine for this whole thing to play out, and even then it will still be virulent, but it won't be a pandemic.  [UPDATE:  it will always be considered a pandemic, which means a disease that spreads globally. But the rate of infection will be on the other end of the bell curve.]. But because there's no cure but avoidance, it will never 100% go away or fizzle out until they come up with a vaccine.

By the way, there's a really good website that does some Corona Myth Busting from the World Health Organization.

Just one of the myths busted on the #coronavirus #mythbusters page.

I'm not sure that the economy (or my family life can take 4-6 weeks of shelter in place.) But even if we do survive,  it's the economic fallout of this that is going to be terrible.  Forget about the stock market, which is terrible.  I've had 10-12 friends report that they've been laid off.  Shops are closed all over the place, and many will not be able to re-open.  It's not going to be easy.

I don't have an easy answer.  But what I do have is the Corona Challah, unbraided, socially distant, and this Shabbat, I'm going to be socially distant and eat Challah.  It's about the only thing I can do.