The only April Fools today are the people that haven’t come to grips with the new world order—not one made by cultural, military, or political forces but by contagion: SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2), also known as COVID-19. The viral infection has shattered economies, driven a wedge between people (so-called “social distancing”), isolated entire nations (government-imposed quarantines), and turned cities into scenes from post-apocalyptic movies.
Based on data collated by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, globally there are 860,181 confirmed cases of the Novel Coronavirus in 180 countries. Only 178,359 people have recovered, while 42,345 are dead. Number of identified infections has increased nearly 10 times, from about 90,300, on March 1, 2020. Currently, in the United States: 189,624—up from 98 during the same time frame.
Amidst the chaos, self-titled “St. Anthony“, by Michael Swan, is serene and chilling. The portrait takes the month’s first spot for composition, inventiveness (use of the mask), and timeliness. Michael used Nikon D780 and NIKKOR VR 24-70mm f/2.8E lens to make the moment, on March 15, 2020. Vitals: f/22, ISO 100, 1/125 sec, 55mm.
An associate editor for The Catholic Register, Michael lives in Toronto, Ontario (That’s in Canada, for the geography-challenged). He joined Flickr in October 2007.
Photo Credit: Michael Swan