Self-Isolation in the Family

COVID-19, the pandemic coronavirus disease, has come to my house. Maybe.

My son has been sick. Yesterday he had a telephone checkup. I don’t know what the official term is for a medical interview conducted via telephone.

He’s been told to self-isolate,1 which will cut into his work hours. He’s calling in sick. He asked me if I’d pick up meds for him, which gave me an excuse to leave the house today.

The pharmacy had those retractable belt stanchions, showing where folks should line up, before COVID-19 started. They’re still there, plus a line of yellow tape marking the ‘wait here’ border. And three yellow “Xs” spaced at six foot intervals, give or take a bit.

I was the only one who was in line when I arrived at the pharmacy. Otherwise I’d talk about folks following the rules and floor markings. Or flouting them.

Minnesota, Me and the Big Picture


(Maps and data from Minnesota Department of Health, used w/o permission.)
(COVID-19 spreading in Minnesota: March 13 through 26, 2020.)

My son hasn’t had a lab test done to see if what’s ailing him is the COVID-19 coronavirus. Neither have I or anyone else in the house. Or the majority of Minnesotans.

I gather that there are only so many test kits to go around. And that folks at the Minnesota Department of Health and their counterparts elsewhere are selective about who they test. Fair enough.

I’m curious about exactly what is making my son ill. But it probably wouldn’t change how we’re handling the illness. I suspect that we’ll all get through the COVID-19 pandemic without being tested. And without knowing for sure what was making us sick.

And I’d prefer that COVID-19 follows a “one per household” policy for this family. Or that it skips us entirely. Not that my preferences carry much weight in this case.

One reason I’m concerned, but not worried, about our health is that I’ve been keeping up with what the Minnesota Department of Health and others are learning.

There have, so far, been two known deaths from COVID-19 disease in Minnesota.

That’s two too many, but only two of 346 who have tested positive.

And only 41 of the 346 who tested positive needed hospitalization. That’s about 11.8 percent, fewer than one out of every eight. COVID-19 is a scary disease, but survivable.

Another reason for my attitude is that I’m learning to keep the big picture in view.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,
“nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 8:3839)

Somewhat-related posts:


1 From the Minnesota Department of Health:

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About Brian H. Gill

I was born in 1951. I'm a husband, father and grandfather. One of the kids graduated from college in December, 2008, and is helping her husband run businesses and raise my granddaughter; another is a cartoonist and artist; #3 daughter is a writer; my son is developing a digital game with #3 and #1 daughters. I'm also a writer and artist.
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4 Responses to Self-Isolation in the Family

  1. Praying for you all.

    God bless.

  2. This must be tough, but that big picture is bright: keep it in mind. Meanwhile, prayers for you and your family.

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