Ok, I’m not going to suggest we do anything different than we are being told by science professionals. As I understand it, the virus can only live in humans for about 14 days. So, if each of us disallow it to go to another human, then in 14 days it could be all gone.
However, consider this for a little perspective.
- Auto deaths are over 100 per day. (wikipedia.org)
- The regular flue in 2017-18 killed 167 per day. (cdc.gov)
- Regular flue hospitalizations in 2017-18 were 2,219 per day (no this is not a typo). (cdc.gov)
- USA deaths per day from the results of cigarette smoking are over 1,315 (cdc.gov)
- USA deaths per day (all causes) over 7,453 (indexmundi.com)
Currently, it seems as if only the Coronavirus deaths are reported daily. The point of this is that the Coronavirus is really bad, but we live with death daily and life goes on. The virus is not the end of all life.
What does concern me more is the devastation this is having on a select part of our communities: our personal service folks, waitstaff, entertainment staff, bank tellers, car washers, hair stylists, small business owners, etc. Many of these folks cannot economically survive weeks without a paycheck. The unemployment checks and even the government-promised checks will not be enough for the adult single parent providers.
So, What Can We Do?
If you know one of these individuals; consider economically adopting him/her for a while; contact them (any way of your choosing, secret is OK) and deliver or have delivered an envelope with small donations until this is over. One could also consider using their weekly church donation envelope with part of the church donation therein.
Another Really Good Idea.
If you own an essential business or receive a retirement check every month (and are not suffering from this crisis) consider this (Per my income tax advisor, the following is allowed):
- You can hire as many temporary employees as you wish for up to $600 each per year, without filing a 1099 Tax Form and claim the cost as a business expense on your Schedule “C”.
- If your (last dollar) tax rate is about 25%, then the net cost of the $600 after filing will be only about $450.
- Since there is no 1099 Form, the recipient of your wages can avoid the paper work of claiming the income. They will not be cheating on their taxes (at their reduced income they will not owe any taxes at all this year). So, the $600 take home pay will be about the equivalent of $700 in ordinary wages.
- A temporary employee can go get take-out lunches for your office, clean up a messy storage closet, babysit your employee’s kids that are not in school, plant a garden in your back yard or maybe answer the telephone
And Remember
As we begin to reopen businesses, the problems of those having not worked for weeks is not over. They are in debt, behind on required monthly payments etc. Use your unneeded government check to tip big for a long while. Big tips makes two smiles.
Think about it, do it, feel good Sunday and Monday too.
My Monday (why I said Monday) story later.
