Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has affected every aspect of life.
The global pandemic has caused thousands of deaths and has rocked the economy — with no clear end in sight.
The unemployment rate has soared; millions are out of work.
School campuses are closed and parents, teachers and students are adapting to distance teaching and learning.
Businesses have suffered huge losses. Some have shuttered temporarily. Some don’t expect to be back. Others are trying to hold on by changing the way they do business.
Grocery stores have signs on shelves, limiting the number of items patrons can purchase, such as toilet paper, hand sanitizer, eggs, canned fruits, bread and others.
More customers are ordering groceries online and having them delivered.
The threat posed by the deadly virus has halted social gatherings, shut down parks, and closed gyms and libraries. It has forced movie theaters to go dark.
Churches, synagogues and other religious centers have had to find new ways to share their faith.
Efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in nursing homes closing their doors to visitors. Hospitals have imposed strict visitor policies. Large gatherings for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and even funerals are being postponed, or skipped entirely.
People in some states, including Florida, are being ordered to stay home when possible, and to wear masks in public places.
In the midst of the upheaval, there are those who offer hope, humor, optimism and help.
And, there are some offering encouragement, too, such as Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes.
Its sign reads: “Stay safe and healthy.”
Published April 15, 2020
