Pandemic, Week 56 (Hopping Along)

It was Infrastructure Week this week, or rather it was "Biden Rolls Out his American Jobs Plan" which includes in its $2 trillion price tag both traditional examples of infrastructure – roads and bridges – and also education, housing, internet and electrical grids, thus sparking a debate on what is infrastructure.  Republicans (and Senator Joe Manchin) also pushed back on the President's plan to partially offset the cost of the bill by raising corporate taxes from 21 percent to 28 percent. President Biden also issued a series of Executive Actions to curb gun violence, in response to multiple mass shootings in the past month. Arkansas banned doctors from providing gender-affirming treatment for trans children, overriding a veto from its Republican governor, Asa Hutchinson, who argued it was government overreach. The All-Star game has been moved to Denver, prompting Mitch McConnell to warn corporations to stay out of politics, while still making political donations. Amazon workers voted roughly 2-1 against unionization in an Alabama warehouse. Prince Phillip, consort to Queen Elizabeth II, died at age 99.

This week the world hit 136.0 million cases and 2.9 million deaths. The U.S. Reached 31.9 million cases and 576,000 deaths. America has averaged 3 million vaccine shots per day with 35 percent of the population having received at least one dose and 21 percent being fully vaccinated.  President Biden announced that states must expand vaccine eligibility to anyone 16 years and older beginning April 19th.  DCPS announced that schools would fully re-open this fall with everyday in-person learning for all students.

We celebrated Easter this week, first with an egg hunt and Ukrainian egg-decorating (pysanka) at First Day School. After a quick-stop by the house to make spring rolls and pick-up Grandpa Fawcett, we made our way up to Mom Mom & Grandpa Don's for another Easter egg hunt for the kids and an adult beverage hunt care of Katherine (we won!).  After a lovely dinner, we headed back to DC to face the last week of Term 3 (which involved a lot of make-up work for Owen), and a flurry of cooking projects (more gnocchi!) before the start of Spring Break and a trip to St. Michaels.

(To see all of this week's pictures, click here.)