Picto Diary - 17, 18 May 2020 - Current thinking on the virus situation.

Above: Echo Dam. Coalville, UT. 17 May 2020.

Summit County Orange
Daily 3.5 Miler
Echo Reservoir and Dam, looking NNW from Rail Trail. — with Margaret Taylor in Coalville, Utah.

Above: Kessler home. Salt Lake City, UT 17 May 2020.

Family visit.

Above: Red Tailed Hawk. Wanship Dam. Rockport State Park. 17 May 2020.

Current thinking on the virus situation (17 May 2020):

"FACT 1: The original (and appropriate) purpose of statewide shutdowns was to ensure that medical facilities were not overwhelmed. After just a few weeks medical professionals knew that virtually all U.S. medical facilities were not, never were, and never would be overwhelmed. Busy? Yes. Overwhelmed? No.
FACT 2: Herd immunity is impossible to obtain by isolation. Isolation only prolongs the pandemic and literally eliminates the only method to accomplish herd immunity.
FACT 3: The overwhelming majority of people do not have any significant risk of dying from COVID-19. For people under 60 the mortality rate is less than or equal to the common flu!
FACT 4: We know who to protect: people over 60 who have underlying co-morbidities AND older people in closely confined spaces like nursing homes and assisted living. Protecting older, at-risk people eliminates hospital overcrowding.
FACT 5: The computer models used to justify the lockdowns have been wrong for each and every prediction. As a result, people are now dying because (1) Medical services unrelated to COVID-19 have been cancelled, (2) Medical clinics and hospitals (esp. local, regional ones) have gone out of business, or (3) patients fear they'll contract COVID-19 if they come to the hospital.
CONCLUSION: there is little scientific or economic evidence that lockdowns are still necessary. Lockdowns should end. People should get back to work. Individuals should be aware of their personal risk factors (as for any of life's vicissitudes) and act accordingly.

Above: Snow field. Park City Mountain. 18 May 2020.

Deux Magots Walkers
Bored of normal, late Spring, walks/hikes? Try a snow field. — at Park City Mountain.

Above: King's Crown condo project. Park City, UT. 18 May 2020.

Deux Magots Walkers
They're still workin'.
Will be interesting to see if anyone still buyin'. — at Park City King's Crown.

Above: Park Avenue yard. Park City, UT. 18 May 2020.
Deux Magots Walkers.

In a former life I might have been critical of the owner's neglect of her yard. But, I'm thinkin'...being increasingly philosophical later in life... that this yard scene...well, looked at with a squint, or through the eyes of Manet or Van Gogh, is really quite pretty.

Even if Park City is slow off the mark on its restart, there is an inevitability to nature's renewal. And dandelions or not...Park City torpor or not, I found this image reassuring. — in Park City, Utah.

Above: McLeod Creek Trail. Park City, UT. 18 May 2020.

Summit County Orange
Daily Three Miler.