Life during the Carona Pandemic
Jeff and Dennis are owners of the “IN EFFECT GALLERY” in Las Cruces, NM with highly successful shows like the “Erotica-Show”
(April 2020) It was the beginning of March we had just finished up our annual erotic art show and were planning the spring art show that was right around the corner, we were already aware of a virus that was traveling throughout China.
On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization issued a statement that the Coronavirus, (Covid-19) be issued as a pandemic. The way it was transmitted at the onset was through contact of air borne fluids much like the flu.
It was clear to Jeff and I, having been through the AIDS pandemic of the 80’s and 90’s that we knew that this was not going to go away any time soon. It was then we both decided to stop the show and pull the plug. We saw it coming, but this was different, it was after everyone. We have been used to having many artists and art lovers and friends gathered together to appreciate erotic art during the “Love of Art” month.
As the days passed it seemed to get worse and traveled very rapidly throughout the world. This was not what we thought it would be.. just the flu. People were dying, gasping for air and coughing to death. We were, and still are, scared.
The happiness of the May art show was suddenly gone and in its place was emptiness and isolation.
We deliver the newspaper, The Bulletin and as we are sending out the news about the local news, arts, religion, sports, schools and NMSU news articles and information. Now there was all of a sudden the urgency to be aware of this virus. In the middle of all of this change, our car broke down and we had to borrow a vehicle to get the news out. This was a desperate time for us as it was for everyone. Then the mandatory home isolation was put in place to stop the spread of the corona virus that had traveled to America and hitting major cities and those throughout the world.
We have gone through everything and have been reintroduced to the past by going through things out of boredom and revisiting them and seeing all the happiness and tragedy that was unfolding as we sorted and organized. It is very urgent that we practice social distancing and wear masks and gloves. We wash our hands till they are cracked and dry and antibacterial lotions and sterilizing the house and everything we touch. We never could have imagined that what was a featured a doomsday scenario created by authors and films that a reality such as the corona virus would exist in our lifetime… not like this. It is knocking at everyone’s door. We need to be prepared.