The Coronavirus Consternation

Now you're probably thinking that with the word "coronavirus" in the title of today's post, I'm going to jump right in to talk about the coronavirus. 

Like how, for example, the governor of my state of North Carolina declared a state of emergency in response to an increasing number of coronavirus cases in Wake County which is about 2 hours away from the Fortress of Ineptitude. 

But first I want to talk about the movie My Spy.

About a year ago, my family saw the first trailer for My Spy, a movie starring David Bautista as a hard ass CIA operative named JJ Cena who has to cope with a precocious 9-year-old girl named Sophie after he's given an undercover to protect her family. 

Sophie immediately busts JJ as a spy and wants him to teach her how to be a spy. Meanwhile, Sophie is teaching JJ about how to loosen up and enjoy life a little. Chloe Coleman who plays Sophie seems to be quite a charming young actress.  

It seems like a harmless trifle. Not bad but not good enough to pry dollars from my wallet to go see it, even if our daughter Randie was still a toddler. 

The thing is that almost every time we went out to the movies, there was the trailer for My Spy.  From the spring of 2019 and through the summer and fall, there was the trailer for My Spy. 

Just last weekend we went to see Onward!, there was that trailer for My Spy. When is this damn thing coming out? The trailer would only tell us "coming soon". 

Last week, I saw a commercial on TV for the first time promoting My Spy with a graphic announcing that the movie would be coming out March 13th. 

Then yesterday, I saw that commercial again but this time, the release date is April 17th. The move of the release date to April 17 is in response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Will it be safe for the My Spy to come out in April? Well, Donald Trump did say the coronavirus would go away in April when the weather got warm. 

The less said about Trump and his response to the coronavirus outbreak, the better. Just thinking about how this fucking moron has bungled his every response to this crisis instills in me a boiling rage that even the sweet innocent charms of Chloe Coleman cannot help me abate. 

Lots of other stuff is getting cancelled or delayed in response to the coronavirus.  

Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy will go on but sans live audiences.  Alex Trebek, Pat Sajak and Vanna White are national treasures and must be protected at all costs. 

Here's the thing: is this an over reaction? Are we being a bit too paranoid? 

Well, it is hard to say. On one hand, the chances that you or someone you know of actually getting the coronavirus is pretty low. On the other hand, for those that have contracted the disease, it is no picnic. People are dying. 

The lack of leadership at the highest levels of the federal government isn't helping.  

Which is why leadership has to come at more regional levels like state governors.  Here in North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency. At this writing, there are five cases in Wake County which is the county surrounding Raleigh, our state capitol. Gov. Cooper's declaration frees up money and resources to better act against the virus in terms of containment and treatment.  

There is a phrase that is being used a lot by governors and mayors as well as business leaders: "an abundance of caution".  It may seem that "abundance" is an almost "overabundance" but we know how the diseases has ravaged China and spread virulently throughout the world.


The entire country of Italy is on lockdown.   

Left unchecked, the situation can only get worse, despite Trump's claims that the coronavirus will miraculously disappear when the weather gets warm in April. 

Maybe it will. Who knows? We are dealing with so many unknowns.  Maybe the "abundance of caution" is an "overabundance" but can we afford half measures to keep our country safe. 

Sometimes hard choices have to be made.

Even if it means My Spy gets put off yet again. 

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UPDATES
03/11/2020, 10:10 PM

The ACC Basketball Tournament and the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament will be playing to empty seats.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have tested positive for coronavirus. 

And my daughter Randie will not be going back to college anytime soon. Her spring break as been extended as her school and other universities around the state have gone into lockdown. 

This is going to get worse before it gets better, isn't it? 

And I have no idea how this may affect the scheduled release of My Spy on April 17th.