Some terms get tossed around a lot these days. I thought I would get some definitions.

Essential services.

From Huffpost, 3/20/20:

“But what is considered an essential job or service? Here at HuffPost, we’ve been asked about laundromats (yes) and hardware stores (yes). Although the list may vary according to local concerns and the nature of a given event, disaster or pandemic, here is a general idea of what’s considered “essential” in emergencies, according to various governments, including San Francisco,  Miami, New York state and Miami-Dade County:

• • Gas stations, auto supply stores, auto repair shops and related facilities
  • Pharmacies
  • Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks and convenience stores
  • Liquor stores
  • Restaurants (only for delivery, takeout and drive-thru)
  • Hardware stores and plumbers
  • Contractors and other tradesmen, appliance repair personnel
  • Exterminators and other service providers
  • Landscape and pool care businesses, including residential landscape and pool care (Kat™ note: Srsly?)
  • Construction sites and engineering and architecture firms
  • Banks and related financial institutions including insurance and accounting services
  • Phone and computer sellers
  • Community benefit organizations on a case-by-case basis
  • Laundromats, dry cleaners and laundry service providers
  • Healthcare providers, hospitals, clinics and healthcare operations including research and laboratory services, medical wholesale and distribution, and dentists
  • Businesses that provide shelter and/or social services
  • Newspapers, television, radio and other media outlets
  • Businesses offering mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes
  • Airlines, taxis and other private transportation providers
  • Home-based care for seniors, adults or children
  • Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, adult day care centers and senior facilities
  • Pet supply stores
  • Veterinary offices
  • Police stations
  • Fire stations
  • Building code enforcement
  • Jails
  • Courts
  • Garbage/sanitation and recycling services
  • Public transportation (Muni, BART, subways)
  • Utilities (water, power and gas, telecommunications)
  • Certain city, county, state and federal offices
  • Funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries
  • Maintenance staff, cleaners, janitors and doormen
  • Manufacturing including food processing, chemical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, paper products, safety and sanitary products”

Watching Trevor Noah’s Daily Social Distancing Show on IG I learned of another essential business that can remain open: marijuana dispensaries. Sadly, they are not legal in WI so I cannot partake, but perhaps some of you can.

“Underlying health conditions”

From nbcnewyork.com, 3/18/20:

“Aside from just older adults overall, the CDC says those who suffer from “serious chronic medical conditions” are at higher risk of getting very sick, hospitalized or even dying from coronavirus. Examples of those conditions include heart disease, diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure) and lung disease.

“Heart disease and lung disease are general umbrella terms used to describe different maladies that could effect those organs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Heart or cardiovascular disease could include things like arrhythmias, congenital heart defects, or anything that involves narrowed or blocked blood vessels. The latter conditions can lead to heart attacks, chest pains or strokes.

“Similarly, lung disease refers a variety of illness that could plague the lungs over long periods of time, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis or pulmonary edema, among others.

“The coronavirus is not unique in seriously effecting those who have any of those conditions, according to the Mayo Clinic. People with those conditoins will be impacted more severely by any respiratory illness, like influenza.

“The reason why older adults overall — not just those with the other conditions — have a tougher time with coronavirus is simpler: their immune systems are not as strong as younger people’s. But anyone whose immune system may be weakened or compromised (such as those going through cancer treatments or with autoimmune diseases like lupus, multiple sclerosis, HIV, inflammatory bowel disease) are also at an increased risk.”

This has been a public service announcement from your local Kat™.

Elder Son called tonight. Among other things he told us he has a new routine when he comes home from work at the hospital. He calls his partner to say he is leaving, and she opens their garage door so he doesn’t have to touch the doorknob when he gets home. He undresses and puts all his clothes in a plastic tub in the garage, then goes straight to the bathroom and takes a shower. When the garage tub gets full ES washes the clothes so she never has to touch them. Prevention!

He was originally scheduled to attend training on something or other in Florida this week, so he had no patients or clinic shifts scheduled. When that training was cancelled because of the pandemic, he suggested to his medical director that perhaps he could spend the time reading medical journal articles on the virus and summarize them for the staff. So he is extremely well-read on the subject right now. Research has always been his forte.

He talked about the situation at the Zuni hospital where he works. There are 43 cases in New Mexico, mostly in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas. There are none confirmed at Zuni, but they have tested five people and are waiting for results. Also, a few weeks ago one of the docs took it upon himself to look at the readiness of their ER. He inventoried their practices and equipment and spent a week at an ER in Albuquerque to observe. His efforts uncovered three ventilators at the Zuni hospital in addition to the one everyone knew about and improved the general procedures. Way to go!

Younger Son has been sheltering in place all week in Minneapolis, and I think he needed some non-physical socializing, so he FaceTime-d me later in the evening. I may be a bit of a geek, but somehow I had never used FT. It was great! We chatted for well over an hour. It was pretty much exactly like sitting around the kitchen table. If you and your friend/relative both have Apple devices, I highly recommend it, particular in these days of isolation.