Here are some thoughts and information as we head into a weird Christmas and New Year’s season.
Have you noticed the low winter produce prices? I saw a supermarket ad insert and realized while the supply chain has adapted there are still demand changes. With limited restaurant dining, there’s less produce being sold to restaurants, meaning there’s more supply for shoppers. Take-out meals usually doesn’t mean breakfast so that means suppliers sell less fruit to restaurants. I’m also guessing many people don’t order salads for take-out as often as they would if dining in.
I haven’t worn a watch since mid-March. Really nice.
I know people whose businesses are thriving, others who are getting by, and some who’ve been decimated. One client had her customer base shut down by the closures, all over the country and internationally. Can’t sell product if your customers are closed.
Over the weekend I read two complementary articles on the virus and it’s spread. First, in the New York Times “The Morning” email the journalist gave three tips based on a survey of 700 epidemiologists plus conversations with other experts. The three tips are:
The top behavior to eliminate is: Spending time in a confined space (outside your household) where anyone is unmasked.
| The behavior to minimize is: Spending extended time in indoor spaces, even with universal masking. Because masks aren’t perfect.And what’s less risky (the good news)? You don’t need a mask to go for a walk, a run, or a bike ride. Great advice on how to judge all of this: “If I had a birthday candle in my hand and you’re too far away to blow it out, I can’t inhale whatever you exhale.” Ninety percent of the epidemiologists had recently visited a grocery store, pharmacy, or another store. |
On the opposite end of the political spectrum, Holman Jenkins, Jr. gave some similar advice in the Wall Street Journal. He summarized recent virus occurrences by noting all the hubbub about mask wearing has got us away from paying attention to safe distancing. Two of his best statements:
“it doesn’t matter how many of us wear masks if the young, who have the least to fear from Covid and are most likely to spread it unwittingly, aren’t wearing them.”
“If you need to wear a mask to participate in an activity, consider not participating in that activity. Much of life and business can proceed normally while keeping 6 feet apart from those we love and those we don’t.”
I hope teachers are right behind health care workers when it comes to the virus. Kids need to be in school, they miss the interactions, many are falling behind, and it’s hurting families if a parent has to reduce hours or quit their job.
Online meetings are here to stay, especially for routine type meetings, but won’t replace in-person meetings where relationships need to be forged. I can see organizations like Rotary having a hybrid of in-person and online meetings. Not so sure about it for networking groups that thrive on getting to know each other.
Christmas will be strange (as will other seasonal celebrations). No big dinner with wrapping paper all over the floor. No post-dinner game sessions. No going from one house to another for morning presents.
I’m sure we’ll survive.
“One thing a person cannot do, no matter how rigorous his analysis or heroic his imagination, is to draw up a list of things that would never occur to him.” (Economist) Thomas Schelling
