Dentists collecting unemployment and applying for a PPP loan?

The last time I collected unemployment was in 1977 for two months. Since I've been a dentist I was never eligible. As a self employed worker, I couldn't collect even when I was unemployed. Certainly as a business owner I never expected to be in a position  to collect unemployment benefits. Then again, we have never faced the Corona Pandemic.

My last day seeing patients in my dental office was March 11th and I have been at home since. I spent several days attempting to register online with the NYS unemployment office. After a number of attempts, I was able to complete my online application and I was informed that now all I needed to do was speak with a representative over the phone in order to complete my application.

After more than five hundred phone calls, over the last week , I am grateful to finally be on hold in a queue to speak with a representative. So far I have been on hold for an hour and forty five minutes and I've got my fingers crossed (After being on hold for two and a half hours my call was dropped). Yesterday I spent the day dealing with Chase Bank, attempting to apply for a Payroll Protection Loan. After a trip into Manhattan to speak with a bank officer in order to get my business account set up online, I was finally able to get a preliminary application completed and now I am waiting for a Chase representative to call me back ( I finally did get help from a Chase banker and successfully completed my application and sent them all the supporting documentation, but I received follow up emails informing me that the SBA money had run out for the time being, but if more money was authorized my application was in the queue . One of their emails pointed out that there were 100,000 applications before mine in the queue, whatever that means).

The truth is with everything going on and our NYC hospitals overflowing, I am lucky to be safe at home in my Apartment in Queens. Many Healthcare workers are serving on the front lines and risking their health , while I am mostly busy at home, cooking, virtually teaching and making phone calls. I would consider volunteering for work at a hospital, but I am 67 years old and considered to be immunocompromised  (I am taking an immunosuppressive medicine).

So far the Corona has created a fair amount of chaos but, all in all, most New Yorkers are behaving well and dealing with the crisis. The other day, when I drove into my office to pick up my mail, I was driving up Madison ave and there was a sole jogger running towards me down the middle of the street. Its pretty surrealistic.

There are so many unknowns it's best to take things  day by day. Mostly I follow the stay at home recommendations. I pretty much only go out only to do needed food shopping. With the exception of our heroic essential workers, most of us should make social distancing and staying safe our number one priority. Andrew Cuomo said it best "New Yorkers are a tough bunch" and we will beat this thing, sooner or later!