California's Response To Coronavirus Reaches Six-Month Milestone
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — It is a milestone moment in the California battle against the coronavirus. September 19 marks six months since the state's economic shutdown.
CBS13's Steve Large met up with a man he first interviewed in those first days of the shutdown to see how he's doing.
"I felt like I talked to you yesterday," Sacramento's Adam Riggins said.
Riggins's world has been more like a whirlwind.
"It's wild," Riggins said.
Back in March, CBS13 cameras showed Riggins opening his mortgage bill the day after he was laid off from his bartending job, which was shut down over COVID-19 concerns.
READ MORE FROM THE MARCH 25, INTERVIEW: California Announces 90-Day Waiver For Mortgage Payments
"You know, I've broke my back to get this place, and I don't want to lose it over this," Riggins said in March.
Today he still has the home.
"Holding onto the home has been number one," Riggins said.
He did change careers so he could make the mortgage payments. He now does exterior home design.
"Absolutely, this is totally out of my wheelhouse," Riggins said. "So now I'm doing pavers, concrete and backyard design during the week."
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UC Davis's Associate Dean for Public Health Sciences Doctor Brad Pollock says at this six-month mark, a coronavirus review might show some missteps of back and forth business closures and reopenings, however, vaccine research has never been better.
"It is unheard of prior to this epidemic, to be talking about going to a vaccine trial that you're running in four months or five months," Dr. Pollock said. "And we hope we'll have a good vaccine identified early of next year."
"We're all hoping," Riggins said.
A coronavirus milestone moment, looking back at the past six months, and cautiously ahead to the future.
"Don't give up," Riggins said.