Public Display of (my fear of) Infection

Schools, universities, gyms, organized events for Carnevale and lots of other things have all been closed or cancelled due to the Coronavirus. So, the American English teacher in her small town in northern Italy cancelled her lessons, too.  Normal people still go to work because they have to. And actually for some it's no big deal.  But since I don't have to, I've chosen not to, and I'm getting a lot of mixed reviews. 

I'm definitely a worrywart. I'm actually a lot more than your average worrywart. I'm terrified.  But the good news is I can laugh at myself (sometimes). And when I explain to others my daily struggles I can make them laugh, too.  I think my panic helps put other people at ease. 

This morning's outing was to pay the car insurance. Planning it all out ahead of time wasn't as easy as it seems.  After you open the three outer doors of the office with the plastic glove, what do you do with it?  If you take it off with a clean hand, doesn't that hand get infected?  There was a pile of things to sign on the receptionist's desk. Luckily I'd remembered to bring my own pen.  When  she saw me struggling to sign the documents while holding them in place with the infected-glove she came to my rescue. 

She asked if I wanted her to put everything in a plastic folder (which I know is normal procedure and not Coronavirus prevention) and I said yes.  That gave me the extra few seconds necessary  to figure out how I was going to get that possibly contaminated plastic folder in the clean plastic bag I'd brought to carry it home in.  And if the new plastic folder hadn't been contaminated by the cute girl at the front desk, it had possibly been contaminated when I touched it with the glove that had opened the first three doors that may or may not have been contaminated. 

Needless to say, it was an exhausting morning.

The thing that puzzles me is that when I'm concentrating on all of this, my students are at work talking about what film they went to the night before. A movie theater doesn't seem like a good place to be when there's a virus.  I thought maybe I was overreacting, so I've just googled it.  Here's what I see:  China's Cinemas Officially Close.....China Shuts Down Movie Theaters During Outbreak......The Coronavirus Outbreak is Crippling China's Film Industry.  You're right, that's in China.  But since we're following their footsteps in the rest of this situation, shouldn't we be following them here, too?

When I respond to my students in shock about their behavior they reply that you can't just stop living because of the virus.  I agree......you can't stop living for the rest of your life, but waiting a few days or weeks to see how it all unfolds doesn't seem that restrictive.   After a few months of lockdown I'm sure one would (or will) go a little crazy and a movie at the cinema would sound really nice.  But we're in the first few days of the outbreak.  Staying home by the fire and reading a good book doesn't sound all that bad. Reading a lousy book doesn't sound all that bad either.