Say yay! for Phase Two. Two more to go. The island has more going on than the response to the corona virus, but each month this blog has started the month with an update so here’s June’s.

In a crisis like this, the good news is the lack of bad news. The peak in cases and deaths was months ago.

There continue to be a few cases, but the occurrences are diminishing.

Naturally, as we enter Phase Two, mobility improves. People are moving around a bit more. This is still only Phase Two, not Phase Four, so it’s easier to shop, but with restrictions; it’s easier to go to the park, but not to camp; it’s easier to visit friends and family but cautiously.

It is also easy to imagine the wide variety of needs championed by various sectors of the economy. That’s probably why there are so many directives for very specific sectors. We’ve gone from general orders to stay home, which fundamentally remain, to allowances for various businesses. The most noticeable and common may be the opening of barber shops and hair salons. A lot of accidental hippie hairdos are being cut and contained.

One worry that is harder to manage is the island’s visitors. The island may be surrounded by a moat, but we haven’t closed the gates or raised the drawbridges, the bridge and the ferries continue to operate because they must. With much of the mainland still in Phase One, and with military personnel stationed around the world, there are reasons to be vigilant despite the apparent and possible temporary clearing of the air.

June is here. Summer is coming soon. If our progress continues, this might be a season to celebrate. Stay tuned – and wash your hands, cover your mouth, and yet don’t touch your face. Tricky, but doable.