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“Love is like

a virus

It can happen

to anybody

at anytime”

—Maya AngelouPrologue

Kamal

State Lockdown

What a way to spend Friday!

I turned my small office television up

A stern expression covered the news reporter’s face “The COVID-19 death toll for New York has risen to 200 people Hospitals have reported 1,000 citizens are now infected Governor Ellis is considering a possible lockdown and will be holding a press conference soon We are waiting for his arrival in the next—”

I muted the television in my office and stared at the screen

The coronavirus has officially co this

When the virus first broke out in China, I’d been following the news coverage Other countries began to report on COVID-19 linked deaths—Japan, Korea, Iran It seemed so far away I knew Americans would be safe Then Italy enforced preventive measures as their death toll rose Next US cruise ships discoveredthe east and west coast Auaranteeing that the deaths and infections would not get out of hand Usually, they never did Scientists and governments always found a way

But by the end of February, I’d bought a mask but felt too silly to wear it around Manhattan I kept a positive outlook, confident that everything would turnaround