I’m hoping this works out. Testing is one thing but it doesn’t change how much of this virus is out there. I have been surprised at how tenacious the bug has been thru the summer and how diabolically evil it is in spreading. Good news is that death rates have gone way down and soon seem to be on the way to influenza like numbers. That’s not just better treatment due to knowledge but I believe the evidence that the beast has become more infectious and less deadly.

If any of you have a college around you, you’ve likely seen 100s of cases on the campus and spread in the community since the semester began. In our town of 50,000 with a college with 7000 students, they have 250 cases. Our town had 4 deaths Friday. The incidence had been pretty low all summer and there is a mask ordinance in effect since July. Looks like that deal at the Whitehouse last Saturday had a positive case slip through and to date up to 9 cases and counting. No political comments please, but it illustrates the problem.

What are the odds with people coming from everywhere that there are not exposed but not yet positive or exposed during or after testing, on their way asymptomatic cases. In 96 hrs before and 48 after a test how many people and surfaces does one possibly contact? How many contacts do those people that you contact have in the last ten days?

Like the kids returning to the party er I mean college, pent up Island visitors in a group that’s been tested negative will likely have a sense of security. Unfortunately that test means nothing likely for 3 or 4 days before and ever after it was taken as to whether you are infected. Alcohol, old friends, the sun and sea bringing on a great desire to seek the shade of a watering hole to quench that thirst.

My worry is and I’m probably/hopefully wrong, that the government will freak at first few cases and impose onerous new restrictions. As long as the virus is prevalent in the countries from where tourists are coming it will make the trip.