This gallery started on the Last Day of Astronomical Winter March 19th https://pbase.com/britestar/image/170533036

At that time, there were
14,200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the USA
187 American deaths

These statistics sounded really horrible back then.
Much of the world was on lockdown to try to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Today is now the last day of Astronomical Spring.
We've spent an entire season in lock down.
The virus still rages on. Over the weeks & months, people have grown numb to the numbers.
Weary, people now tend to more or less ignore numbers and the human lives they represent.

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A mere 92 days later

June 19, 2020, 05:27 GMT
USA
2,297,190 Confirmed cases of COVID-19
121,407 American Deaths

COVID-19 is again on a notable upswing in the USA. But this is not a Second Wave yet. The second wave will probably come in the Fall. Meanwhile, this is still merely the First Wave that has gotten out of control.

Since the economy is open again, a sizable percentage of the American population unwisely believe that the pandemic is over. As a result they feel that they don’t need to social distance, wear a mask, nor take any precautions. Other Americans strangely feel that the virus never really existed or else that catching it is not worse than a common cold. There is so much misinformation out there and disregard for science: https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-says-anti-science-bias-in-the-us-is-problematic-2020-6

Sadly, because so many people are not willing to take the situation more seriously, more people (than would otherwise) are getting sick and dying from COVID-19 in the USA.

CDC Homepage: Updated June 18, 2020
“This week’s national ensemble forecast suggests that there will likely be up to in excess of 145,000 total reported COVID-19 deaths by July 11th.” IF that is true, there would be over 8,000 additional American lives lost - per week - to the virus during the next 3 weeks. In my mind, this defies imagination. American lives lost to the virus could be higher for the next 3 weeks than the 5,000 lives that have been lost each week for the past 4 weeks. With the exception of South America, other countries' case & death statistics are now going down. With their economies also reopening, they are obviously doing something "right" that we are missing in the USA.

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Following the first cornavirus death in our Metro (one that proved there was community spread here), I decided to start my own Stay-at-Home precaution; even before my husband’s business finally approved his office tele commuting. During just that one week, the number of COVID deaths in the US nationwide had almost quadrupled. At that point, it was clear then that Stay-at-Home isolation was the best way for all to try to stop the spread of the virus in the USA (or anywhere). If you don’t give the virus a host, it can’t physically harm you. I’ve been in personal social isolation for 98 days; which has been a week before this gallery was started.

These past weeks have been a long and most unusual time in our lives. Frankly, my husband has adjusted to this new normal a lot more than I have. He actually likes having the extra time he’s gained by no longer having to do the daily physical commute. He says that he can see tele commuting becoming the way of the future; even after the pandemic is over. Having traveled extensively for business for 3/4 his career, he feels that now having extra time to just “putter” at home is actually a treat. He says that he does miss our going out together on the weekends. Still, this stay-at-home social isolation isn’t driving him crazy like it is me.

I’ve gone from being a social butterfly and enthusiastically traveling the world to now mainly living in a physical world that only extends to 3 acres. Because we each have a condition (his: older age/mine: a cousin of asthma) that puts us in the high risk group, we can’t afford to be cavalier of the situation. Even if one of us may be slightly less at "high risk of severe complications", neither one of can take the chance of getting the illness & then unwittingly transmitting it to our partner in life. We must protect, not only ourselves, but also each other & all of our loved ones. This means continuing the Stay-at-Home social isolation. As a result, I rather feel like we have been put under “house arrest” until a vaccine can be developed. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever dream that life would ever be like this.

At the time our family went into social isolation back in March, I was supposed to be in New Zealand having fun and adventures with my Kiwi friend. With no new cases in weeks, New Zealand now considers themselves COVID free. New Zealand has also had few coronavirus deaths when even at the virus was at its worst. Not a bad place to be.

Once the pandemic is finally over, my repeat Australia/New Zealand trip (and other trips that were planned for 2020) will take place.
Meanwhile, we need to first survive the pandemic.