This Watertown Promenade is a terrible idea. Sorry. Seclusion is the
only solution to the spread of this disease. We know we don’t have little kids,
but don’t go out in any kind of group, six feet or not. This is serious. And is
irresponsible behavior for a problem that is only in its beginning stages.
Social distancing is not a solution, it is a method of lessening risk, but it
is not a solution.
Particles of the virus are said to float on the air from 34 minutes to
4 hours, we read in different reports over the last week. If even a bit of it
is true, beware. Body heat keeps virus particles up in the air. Don’t walk
through anybody’s air, just in case. Even with a mask on. Most people won’t get
terribly sick, but you never know; not age, or gender, or blood type will
protect you. The risks are high.
Stay safe. And to stay safe you must isolate and think of
yourself—yourself—as having the virus already. Therefore, you must not gather
in any way. Many carriers are not symptomatic—it could be you, or me. Please
don’t take a chance with your lives, or others’.
“Cancel Everything” in your day wrote Yascha Mounk in the Atlantic
after Italian doctors had to tragically start sorting which patients to treat.
The NYT today leads with "Hospitals Struggle to Prepare for Surge of
Coronavirus Patients.” We know protective devices for our health care providers
are running out and beds will be at a premium if the hospitals are not
overwhelmed immediately.
Please don’t let Watertown ignore the severe warnings and promenade in
opposition to all serious medical advice and common sense. We have to each be a
leader in health and common sense. Self-quarantine is an individual and
community responsibility that we must all observe.
There will be a lot of cabin fever in the future because this pandemic
isn’t going away soon. Let’s explore creative and safe ways to entertain
ourselves as we separate ourselves from the rest of the community—physically,
not emotionally via the phone and airwaves. Perhaps those with technical
knowhow can list and give directions for sites on which we can have tea and
coffee with friends, hold meetings, have exercise groups, celebrate birthdays,
and have happy singalongs.
Please do not “promenade” today, or any day, in the face of disaster.
Barbara and Jeremy Ruskin
Please post to your lists.
------------------------------------
On Mar 20, 2020, at 10:52 AM, Sarah Bansen <sarah.bansen@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
A fun idea started by director of the Watertown Community Foundation. Please
participate tomorrow at 5 if you are able to!
Sarah
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: David Leon <dbleon1@xxxxxxx <mailto:dbleon1@xxxxxxx>>
Date: Fri, Mar 20, 2020 at 7:59 AM
Subject: Fwd: Idea for tomorrow
To: Rachel Cohen <rachel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:rachel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>, Richard Cohen
<richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>,
lisa port white <ldpw@xxxxxxx <mailto:ldpw@xxxxxxx>>, Joanne Hammil
<joanne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:joanne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>, Sarah Bansen
<sarah.bansen@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:sarah.bansen@xxxxxxxxx>>, <tesik53@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:tesik53@xxxxxxxxx>>, Tom Goodwillie <tomg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:tomg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>, Ann Munson <Annmunson60@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:Annmunson60@xxxxxxxxx>>
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Sabin, Lora" <lsabin@xxxxxx <mailto:lsabin@xxxxxx>>
Date: March 19, 2020 at 8:45:21 PM EDT
To: David Hansberry <dbleon1@xxxxxxx <mailto:dbleon1@xxxxxxx>>, Bob Shay
<bob@xxxxxxxxxx <mailto:bob@xxxxxxxxxx>>, Marian Grogan
<mgrogan002@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:mgrogan002@xxxxxxxxx>>, Emily Barclay
<emily.barclay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:emily.barclay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>, Roberta Miller
<miller.ann.roberta@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:miller.ann.roberta@xxxxxxxxx>>,
"tesik@xxxxxxx <mailto:tesik@xxxxxxx>" <tesik@xxxxxxx
<mailto:tesik@xxxxxxx>>, Aaron Dushku <aarondushku@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:aarondushku@xxxxxxxxx>>, Laurie Kahn <lauriebhp@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:lauriebhp@xxxxxxxxx>>, Alan Medville <alan.medville@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:alan.medville@xxxxxxxxx>>, Judy Dushku <judydushku@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:judydushku@xxxxxxxxx>>, John Foote <jhf25@xxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:jhf25@xxxxxxxxxxx>>
Cc: Jon Hecht <jonathan.hecht@xxxxxxxx <mailto:jonathan.hecht@xxxxxxxx>>
Subject: FW: Idea for tomorrow
FYI – what do you think? Spread the word….and see you at 5 pm?
Best to all!
Lora
From: Albrik A <albrik@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:albrik@xxxxxxxxx>>
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 12:06 PM
To: Jan Singer <jan.singer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:jan.singer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
Cc: Board <board@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:board@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>, Anahit Papazian
<anahit.papazian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:anahit.papazian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
Subject: Re: Idea for tomorrow
I like it Jan ... we and our neighbors across the street have done this
couple of times in the last few days when the Sun was out
do we need to run it by town officials? I'm concerned that folks may not
take the distancing seriously ...
also, some famous folks have volunteered free music concerts or exercise
classes online. I was wondering if we could have a local singer share 1/2 an
hour of their time in a Zoom session fro the comfort of their home? we can
send the Zoom link to our list of contacts and see what the response is ...
if we get a good response, we can do more of it, if not, well no harm done
at no cost
-Albrik
On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 11:25 AM Jan Singer
<jan.singer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:jan.singer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Tomorrow marks a week since schools have closed and many in our community
began working from home.
The weather is supposed to be glorious, warm with peeks of sun. What if we
created an event - sort of a flash mob- where we all go to the sidewalk in
front of our homes, and begin a promenade, keeping our distance but seeing
and chatting with friends and neighbors? Some neighborhoods will be easier
than others but it's something literally everyone in town could participate
in. We could encourage the whole town to do it beginning at 5PM. Then
encourage people to post to their own facebook page and to ours.
Thoughts?
Jan Singer
Executive Director
Watertown Community Foundation
www.watertownfoundation.org <http://www.watertownfoundation.org/>
www.facebook.com/watertowncommunityfoundation
<http://www.facebook.com/watertowncommunityfoundation>
