Almost — but not quite — a month later, this way of life, recently unthinkable, has become routine. The new norm, as they say. We hear about nothing else. The televised national news is all about coronavirus, the novel coronavirus, the COVID-19 virus or simply “the virus.”

The correct, scientific name for the new virus currently running our lives is SARS-CoV-2. This is the name of the virus itself; COVID-19 is an acronym for “coronavirus disease 2019,” the disease caused by the virus.

“This is not life as usual,” Gov. Cuomo said. “Remain indoors, go outside for solitary exercise. Don’t go to a house with multiple people. Don’t go to your daughter’s house. That is a mistake.”

Well, OK, Gov. Cuomo, thanks for making it clear, because up to a few days before that time I had been planning–and was even then still considering–going to California to spend Easter with my daughter and her family.

“Don’t go to your daughter’s house. That is a mistake.”

I got the picture.

It took me awhile. I was remembering back to the furor around the much-publicized bird flu threat back in 2014.

What if the highly contagious virus H5N1, which was killing poultry and wild birds around the world, were to mutate into a virus transmissible between humans? And what if this mutated virus were to become pandemic?

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “the H5N1 epizootic poses an important public health threat since influenza viruses evolve and swap genes frequently. If H5N1 viruses were to gain the ability for efficient and sustained transmission among humans, an influenza pandemic could result, with potentially high rates of illness and death worldwide.”

The threat of bird flu was constantly sensationalized in the nightly news. H5N1 was said to be spread by ducks, and illustrations of barnyard ducks acquired an eerie significance, an evil aura.

It so happened that the threat of a global avian flu pandemic never materialized–put simply, the H5N1 virus did not mutate so that people could catch it from each other–and the subject just dropped out of the news. Everyone forgot about it and went on to focus on new worries. Out of sight, out of mind.

When the coronavirus pandemic first hit the news, I underestimated its importance. What is this, I said to myself, the new bird flu scare? I could decide to cancel my trip to California and then catch the virus right here in Keene Valley, I said. It’s random. As a friend put it, we can’t let fear rule our lives.

Over a period of weeks, days and hours my point of view changed completely. We hear it all the time, and it’s true: We have never seen anything like the lethality and rapid spread of this virus.

All around the world people have closed down all but the most essential businesses and gone inside to wait out the virus. Meanwhile, is the virus just waiting for us to come back out, to relax travel restrictions and social distancing, waiting for what is predicted as the second wave?

Cuomo said the stay-at-home order means that nonessential gatherings of any size could not take place for New York’s 19 million residents. All nonessential businesses must close their businesses and 100 percent of their employees must work from home.

When in public, people should stay at least 6 feet away from others. Outdoor recreation and exercise is permitted but must be solitary.

From what I have seen, people here are following the rules. I went for a walk around Keene Valley at 8 o’clock in the evening. The town was quiet, except for the rushing of the Ausable River.

A couple was walking down the middle of Adirondack Street. When they saw me on the sidewalk, they abruptly swerved way over to the other side of the street.

It’s spring in the Adirondacks, the crocuses are blooming, and when we do see each other–from a distance, of course–people are generally friendly. After all, we are going through this together, and we have a common enemy. My niece Rosemary told me that Sven, the family dog, is overjoyed to have everyone at home.

Have a good week.