Blue Cat is afraid of the COVID-19 disease. Not because he can get it (he doesn’t have a respiratory system and the underlying virus doesn’t attack yarn) but because he lives with someone who is over 60 and has the 3 underlying conditions (asthma, heart disease and diabetes) that puts them at high risk for serious complications. And so he’s decided to relate his experiences to help with his anxiety and to share what he’s learned along the way.
Blue Cat’s COVID-19 journey started with a business trip to Boston. It was just like any other trip, except the spread of the disease in other countries was starting to worry him. But he had to go – meeting an important new teammate at the direction of his company’s president isn’t something you let a little worry stop you from doing. But it pointed out how different life was like just a few short weeks ago.
The airport was the first change. Normally very busy at any time of the day, Denver International Airport (DIA) was eerily vacant this time. There was plenty of parking, the concourses weren’t crowded, and the restaurants were less busy than Blue Cat was used to. A very few people were wearing masks, though.
In contrast, the flight was very full – only a few empty seats. Blue Cat usually flies on United Airlines, but for this trip he was on Southwest Airlines, who, as you probably know, don’t have assigned seats. Blue Cat was at the end of group C so he ended up in the back of the plane (but did score an aisle seat). And the flight attendants were very nice and helpful.
The second virus-related change that Blue Cat saw was the number of people who sat down and then pulled out disinfecting wipes to clean the “touch areas” of their seating. Tray tables, arm rests and head rests were the main targets, but some folks were over zealous and disinfected their entire seat. Blue Cat admits that he was one of them – but then his seat was the tray table.
Southwest was also starting to make some changes in its (very excellent) in-flight services. As alway, they let you pick a couple of treats on the flight, but this time they didn’t hand them to you but let you pick them directly out of the box. That, and making sure that they handed you drink directly to you, reduced the number of times anything you had was touched. And they kept coming back with more – so Blue Cat was able to have a real meal on the trip.
Logan International Airport in Boston was also less crowded than the last time Blue Cat was there. And there wasn’t much traffic getting to the hotel (although it was around 4pm). And the hotel was another great experience.
Blue Cat got to stay at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, which, as you would expect, is on the Boston Harbor waterfront. While there was a lot more hand sanitizer in play than usual, the hotel was pretty much what Blue Cat had expected – except for the spectacular view.
The room was nice too – enough space for a real bed for Blue Cat (instead of the pillow or desk that he usually sleeps on when traveling.
And yes – even room for his scribe.
That evening was another event that looks odd in the light of current COVID-19 precautions – a dinner with the new teammates at Legal Seafoods on the harbor. A great meal with great folks, but it was also people from 3 states (MA, CA and CO) sitting at a small-ish table sharing appetizers. And the handshaking…
The handshaking continued at the meetings the next morning – in a closed conference room with close proximity. One of the local team members was sick – but he prudently dialed in to the meeting so that was great. Another great meeting that was worth the trip – but looking back on it Blue Cat wonders how he didn’t become a virus carrier.
The flight back was a bit more empty – and there was more sanitizing. Enough that the flight attendant had to ask folks to stop as the scent from the wipes was too much for some of the passengers in the enclosed cabin space. DIA was even less populated upon arrival – although the trams were still running and very enclosed.
So what did Blue Cat get from this trip? It was very worthwhile from a business point of view – getting to know new teammates, seeing their facilities, better understanding their company and capabilities. But he also got something else…
You see – two days after the trip Blue Cat’s scribe got sick. Not COVID-19 sick – just a bad cold – but it really pointed out to Blue Cat that he had to be much more careful staying safe. And so he made some changes that you’ll be hearing about in upcoming blogs.
Do you have a pre-SIP (Shelter-In-Place) story you’d like to share? Tell Blue Cat about it in an email by clicking here.
(C) William Doyle, 2020
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