James Thomas Rook Jr.

I guess it is a very cunning, lingering virus.

This is exactly the point!
And I think that by shaking up the traditional environment by which we usually hear these talks and prayers, and by which see the symbols in front of us, that we now have a chance for a new, more focused perspective on these symbols.
Often, in life, (or football games, or even when training animals, etc.) we don't focus on the "rules" until there are apparent exceptions to the rule. I think the exceptional nature of this particular Memorial will make it a time when everyone thinks more about the symbols, even if some of us cannot obtain the best physical version of the symbol. (In our area a brother is going around delivering wine and bread that his wife made.) Liquor stores are closed, although some grocery stores have wine that is "close enough to spec."
I think everyone is going to question what parameters are OK, and what might not be appropriate. There will be differences of opinion about what was appropriate or not. There will be brothers wondering why we didn't put this off for one month, like the Jews did for Passover, and then follow "emergency" procedures if they are still necessary. (Even if we were already at the midpoint of Covid-19, however, we can still expect just as long a curve of suffering and death on the way back down in most places.)
I'm thinking that the shakeup of this particular ritual (and the thinking it will motivate) is one "silver lining" of the Covid-19 cloud.

Most of these churches that defy government quarantine restrictions do so because they see the government being opportunistic—‘never let a crisis go to waste.’ They are intensely political on the right, celebrate the Bill of Rights, and they fear that government surveillance, monitoring, restrictions will not revert to normal after the crisis has passed. To them, the crisis is the wedge to introduce permanent restriction of freedom. Some see it as a deliberate move to so decimate capitalism that all that will be left is for socialism to take the helm. A fringe of these people even think the ‘crisis’ is manufactured for exactly that purpose—to extend control and restrictive means of government over all persons. And don’t get them going about Bill Gates!
None of this is so absurd to be dismissed out of hand. See how popular Bernie Sanders is, or even Elizabeth Warren. The trouble with conspiracy theories is that once a few of them turn out to be true it becomes so much easier to swallow anything coming down the pipe. I am glad that we really don’t have to worry about it. We never put our trust in human institutions, so if it turns out that there are machinations amongst them, it does not unsettle us to the degree that it unsettles people who do put full trust in human self-rule. Nor do we look to human institutions for ‘staying power.’ If they don’t go down this way, they will go down that way. All we have to do is stay loyal to God, no matter what, and let the chips fall where they may. When push comes to shove, this life is not the ‘real’ life of 1 Timothy 6:19.

Then why do we end up with hotspots like N. Italy or Madrid where so many people get really sick and die? Surely it should be "everywhere" (approx) if that's the case.
Maybe people in hotspots suffer from a higher viral load which might increase the severity of the symptoms?

I think everyone was sent the same email 👍

I don't know about everybody else ... especially after viewing the "bunker videos", where everybody is huddled together in someone's basement, just waiting for nondescript uniformed SWAT teams to break in, with automatic weapons ... but if it comes to that, I plan to stay at home, and be as "normal" as possible, if for no other reason than to discourage an officer who drools, has an eye twitch, and a can of gasoline.

I had no doubts that we wouldn't be one of those who defied the authorities in this case. Defying the authorities because they forbid us to preach and meet because they don't agree with us is scriptural. But this of course is not the current situation, and we obey the superior authorities because they have ours and everyone else's health and  best interests at heart. I wonder if any of us ever foresaw that there would be a valid reason to stop gathering together, lol.  It also made me think that zoom and similar conference meetings may be used during the GT, and that those examples of meeting in the woods/attic/basement might be moot....
But I know there are ways in which such conference meetings can be potentially hijacked....so maybe it could be the woods after all...

I think you have stated the question very well and have already implied the answers.
Yes, some see it as a ritual. But it really is a ritual, just as baptism is a ritual that is not optional. Some religions also treat all wedding ceremonies and even funerals as rituals. Some have different or additional rites and rituals. For one who considers himself or herself anointed, it is like baptism: not an optional ritual.
As you (and the WT said) the important thing is not to see the ritual as something more than it is. It is not a necessary part of salvation, but an opportunity for a personal and public expression of faith, just like baptism. Although it seems appropriate that members of the other sheep should joyfully celebrate such expressions of faith by the anointed, it is too solemn to be considered a celebration. It is often more solemn than some Witness funerals. There is such quiet and seriousness, that no one even seems to notice if someone, somewhere in the Hall, had partaken. Sometimes, I only notice whether all the glasses, initially filled to exactly the same height, come back to the front table with one of them having less wine in it. And then I wonder if there was a partaker, or if some sister got some wine accidentally spilled on her dress.
For a time, the Watchtower made it clear that persons who were of the "other sheep" class, were not invited to the Memorial. Some time later, it was made clear that they would not partake of the emblems and they were invited to join.
Sometimes (rarely) we hear the objection that the other sheep only attend in order to show that they are refusing to follow Jesus command to "Take, Eat!" and "Take. Drink!"  Or even as if we are only there to physically reject the symbols of Jesus' ransom, I have answered that this is just as much a way for the other sheep to express their faith in an earthly paradise under the rule of Jesus and the 144,000 but separate from them.
I have seen Memorials where the scene is "over-the-top" ritualistic when the emblems are offered and refused by the speaker. It can seem even more so where the speaker partakes, and it looks like the changing of the guard at Buckingham when a specially choreographed arrangement is made on the stage for up to 4 servers and the speaker to pass the emblems among themselves, with the speaker in the middle and a table off to each side.
 

To make visualization of that easier ... Imagine yourself sitting on a front porch, and you notice a lost earthworm wiggling it's way across the concrete (or wood, as the case may be ...).
Now .... imagine  taking the edge of a tin can lid, and cutting it into three equal parts, so it may have friends.
See?

Irregardless of any story proposed ... Arauna,  let's say hypothetically that half the Governing Body was caught embezzling donated funds for their own use .... who on this Earth has the ability to hold them to account?
If it was common knowledge, and the proof was self evident, splashed all over the news media of the world ... we would NEVER hear about it from the platform, in the Watchtower .... not a word.
AND ... there is, to the best of what I know, there is NO ONE to call them to account.
We have the example of the Old Testament accounts of Jehovah's patience being VERY LONG as regards graft and corruption ... until it reaches a tipping point ... and I suspect that is so because he waits to see how WE will handle our own affairs.
So, Arauna, please tell me if, as a hypothetical example, such malfeasance and corruption by the Governing Body, is ever discovered  ... who among us can do anything about it?
 

I also suspect you disclaimed answering the question, is because you in fact do know the answer ....
..... as we all do.
They are completely unaccountable.
Please correct me if I am wrong.

Trying to create a story  and hype where there is none..... not worthy of an answer.

Hey James, stop asking questions that hurt the persecution complex! 

As Kermit the Frog says  "Time's fun when you're having flies!"

The air I breathe is not sterile ... heck, I have even inhaled a few insects from time to time.
Yet ... somehow I still live!

Could be worse .... could be a Zombie Apocalypse ...

I think in twelve months time this virus will just be another part of history. 
Why are some of you people still looking for a sign ? Like a member of your GB smiled and said 
It's gonna get worse ! 
When a person gets older they expect to be in lesser heath and ability. so it is with this old system of things, as it gets older it will get worse. It is run by the devil and he knows his time is short, so we must expect him to make things worse.
BUT, that does not mean that Armageddon is 'so close' now. In fact isn't it a bit selfish to want it now ? 
Shouldn't you be wanting thousands more people serving Yahweh before the 'end comes' ? 
Some of you seem like those on the Titanic, you are 'in the lifeboat' so it's time to push off. 
Maybe after this virus is gone, things may move forward spiritually, so don't be in too much hurry for Armageddon. 

To combat coronavirus I believe I need a Helicopter, to get above it all..
I really want a Helicopter.
... been wanting one since I was in High School, when I discovered the Bensen Gyrocopter, in the back of a Popular Mechanics magazine.!
I suspect neither will Gordon Brown get his wants.

I offer Gordon Brown a suggestion to avoid contact with people that eat a lot of bats.

Could be worse .... could be a Zombie Apocalypse ...

I believe the position of Pork Chop Secretary remains unfilled.

https://e-vent.mit.edu/controls/electrical-hardware/
The researchers emphasize that this is not a project for typical do-it-yourselfers to undertake, since it requires specialized understanding of the clinical-technical interface, and the ability to work in consideration of strict U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifications and guidelines.
This is for medical device manufacturers (and maybe other industries with skill in sterile equipment manufacturing, if need dictates) to have a design that can be fabricated more quickly and cheaply than existing designs to get around the current bottlenecks in the supply chain.
 
- Sure, but having a non-sterile non fda approved respirator is probably better than having no respirator.
 

The MIT release stated that an effective ventilator needs to control for several variables and situations such as failure to expire the previous breath before the ventilator pushes in a new one (auto PEEP). It recognizes the faults of such a simple design using a BVM, but states that while there are many different situations for a ventilator to treat, a mechanically operated BVM can handle the simplest of them in order to free up more advanced ventilators and pairs of hands for less simple patients. The patient under these MIT devices would still need to be monitored by a medical professional, but this would allow several nurses/doctors who would otherwise have to manually ventilate an absolute emergency patient to focus on other things while a single nurse/doctor could monitor these machines

No, you blockhead. 
It rescued postal systems throughout the world, most of whom are on the ropes, as they have been in the United States forever, and they bought us serious good will from the superior authorities which may prove useful some day.
“They will sit, each one under his vine and under his pork chop tree and hopefully learn some sense, or if not, at least some decorum.”

Skype did fail to innovate and adapt despite having quite the headstart.  

I like Zoom.
I grew to hate Skype.

VERY important article !
....makes me think of what I often thought about to prevent space suits in direct sunlight in a vacuum from overheating, as a person worked in space, or on the Moon, etc.
In principle, a simple beach umbrella, which in space would be weightless, and nearly so on the Moon.
A high tech, ultralight version with a transparent canopy to break up the velocity of the exhalation droplets?
Home Depot sells an 18volt battery powered Ryobi electric fan, that can be hand held.
As you are talking with someone, just have the fan blowing into his face, and blame it on the coronavirus.
Try not to laugh.

If you don't mind looking like a super klutz, hang this around your neck blowing away from you to change the trajectory of all exhalation droplets.away from your mouth, nose, and eyes.
.... beats dying.