The Flu in Japan

It's flu season.  America seems to have had an early start and now finds itself in an epidemic.  And Japan has decided to get on board as well.  Several musicians have had to back out of concerts this week and quite a few more are wearing the symptoms.  When I look out to the audience, white masks look back.  Here, the issue of health is more a communal concern than an individual inconvenience.  The board backstage which announces our concert information contained an additional flyer today about taking care of our health.  It reminded us to wash our hands, rinse our mouths, avoid public places if possible, and wear a mask if we felt sick in order to keep the germs from spreading to others.  And if we are feeling ill so that we cannot play, we should call or email the office immediately.  These precautions in order to keep the highest quality of performance possible.  We should keep ourselves healthy in order to play well, but if we become sick we should promptly inform the office so that a substitute player can be contacted immediately in order to have a good replacement.  We should take care of ourselves for the good of everyone.  Perhaps it's touching that the whole world can share this illness together, but together, in our own endeavors, we can help one another return to health.