We’re in some kind of Sisyphus-type nightmare, aren’t we?
Seems like a couple of months ago we locked everything down and it seemed like we were getting a grip on the Covid-19 situation… to a degree.
The infection rate was stabilizing if not dropping and people seemed to be practicing social distancing. Masks, we found out a little later, were considered a great help in lowering the transmission rates and, as of the past couple of months, the wiser businesses have required any clients who step in their stores wear them.
Then things slipped.
The rates of infection are rising through the proverbial roof and the mighty United States, the envy of the civilized world, has shown itself to be far from ready to take on this particular fight.
As with so many things, the fault lies at the top.
I know, I know… its probably getting tiresome hearing me bemoan our “President”, but the reality is that Trump and his bizarre, uneducated, and irresponsible manners has for the past several weeks played down the COVID-19 situation and, sadly, so too have too many state governors.
When the states were “re-opened” there was this sense -incorrect, as it turned out- that perhaps we have turned the corner and could go back to normal.
Restaurants and bars opened in far too many places and without enough safeguards present.
In the end, too many people congregated too close to each other and, today, we keep seeing record numbers of infection rates. What follows, even more sadly, are deaths from this virus.
You can’t blame Trump for everything. I know that. I don’t blame him for this virus but I do blame him for his too blasé -bordering on criminal- attitude toward it.
He thought people wearing masks were dumb… and he even to this day refuses to wear one because, I can only guess, he feels it makes him look weak.
Or something.
This despite statistics and the professional immunologist advice that wearing a mask makes you less likely to contract the COVID-19 virus.
With someone as powerful as the President poo-pooing the notion of wearing masks, it was only nature that we’d see too many people doing the very same.
And they did.
And now we’re here, with the rates going through the proverbial roof with no end in sight.
I genuinely fear what’s coming next.
The economy has been severely hurt and if the rate of infection continues, it can only get worse. Europe is opening up but, given our infection rates, United States citizens aren’t allowed to travel there.
Can you imagine?
Our mighty country so far behind in dealing with this situation that we’re considered a danger for travel?
I don’t know what lies ahead but I genuinely wonder how much long responsible people in government are going to let this go on.
I also wonder how much longer regular citizens will have patience with this.
Are we in for another lockdown?
I have to admit, a part of me hopes this will happen.
But, once we do, will we again let our guard down and again open ourselves up too much and yet again find ourselves with far too many infections as before?
And so it goes…