by Robert M. Traxler
With the quarantine in effect, we have time to look back and reflect on the progression of a virus that is a nasty piece of work. In the early days we were told the COVID-19 was not as bad as the flu. It could not be spread by “community contact,” no need to panic, and if you were too concerned you were a xenophobic, racist, just too stupid to understand.
Exactly why folks in the media and doctors who practice in the media just can’t say, “We just do not know what we do not know, so let’s err on the side of caution,” is beyond me. In the early days of the pandemic, people who advocated for an abundance of caution were called the basic issue of horrible names: racist, xenophobic, knuckle-dragging imbeciles, who were sowing the seeds of panic, doing more harm than good.
In the early weeks we were told that only folks who displayed symptoms, a dry cough, sneezing and a high temperature were able to spread the COVID-19 virus. If sick, stay home, but do not worry about people who do not show symptoms and carry on as normal. Did they do that because they are evil people? No they are not, but the political correctness of the disease coming from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) had a lot to do with it. To this date we are not allowed to refer to it as the Chinese virus or the Wuhan virus without incurring the wrath of the politically correct crowd.
Officials in the PRC are even going to the extent of ordering their diplomats around the world to start a whispering campaign that the United States Army developed the COVID-19 virus and released it in Wuhan. I am sure a few of you with TDS believe that as well.
President Trump was criticized for being too fast to ban travel to and from China, and then he was criticized for not banning it fast enough? Liberal politicians and their friends in the media seamlessly went from “he did too much, overreaching because he is a xenophobe,” to “he did not do enough.”
The early media reports said Vice President Mike Pence is anti-abortion and not a believer in global climate change; he is also a Christian person, so he is a science denier unfit to head the national effort against COVID-19. I think Vice President Pence has done a good job to date, and questioning science, especially by other scientists, is a proven and productive practice. We just do not know nor will be ever know everything about COVID-19; questioning and study will and should go on for decades to come.
We as a nation can’t remain shut down forever, but we can use caution when we inevitably go back to work and school. Anyone who criticizes good folks for being cautious need to remember COVID-19 can live on:
• Metal: 5 days, examples: doorknobs, jewelry, silverware.
• Wood: 4 days, examples: furniture, decking
• Plastics: 2 to 3 days, examples: packaging like milk containers and detergent bottles, subway and vehicle seats, backpacks, elevator buttons.
• Stainless steel: 2 to 3 days, examples: refrigerators, pots and pans, sinks, some water bottles.
• Cardboard: 24 hours, example: shipping boxes.
There is nothing wrong with placing a paper towel or 10 in a zip-lock bag, adding some soapy water or alcohol, and using that as a hand sanitizer or surface cleaner if you can’t find the sanitizer or wipes. Also, a home-made mask, cloth or paper, will help.
We just do not know what we do not know about the long-term effects of this virus. It is always better to be safe than sorry during this pandemic.
Yes, being safe is much better than sorry.
But until we know and are told the truth about this disease we live in a constant fear of dying from it.
Currently ( as I understand) there is no vaccine to prevent it. A lesser percentage who contract this disease die, a larger percentage live.
So the ” Million Dollar Question ” how long does this social isolation last? How long can people live without an income? Surely the government can’t send a check every month to everyone? How long before our Country collapses economically? How long can a human be isolated?
I have never been ” the sharpest knife in the drawer ” . I see the government establishing a line of death acceptable so as not to be overwhelmed. If this is in fact the case, doesn’t it mean a percentage of those contracting this disease will die, but only at a later date? In essence, it comes to survival of the fittest, or ” thinning the herd”…
So in order to head off mass panic we will see hoarding in a limited amount, people hoping the government will give them a check to “scrape ” thu , the economy of the Country may fail, since business can not stay closed much longer.
What is the answer? .
In this writers opinion, which is not a popular one to say the least, let us return back to normal. Understanding the fact more will die to this disease, but we as a society and Country will prosper in the end .
Isolation as a Country or a human never works. I truly hope those that are telling us to not work, lock down and social distance, come to realize just what they are doing. We can not ever prevent that someone called ” to come home” from going.
I’m coming to the realization you are more right than wrong in your observation. Cowering in the house and not doing what is normal, especially working to make the economy working and vibrant, is not a good option. This virus is crippling the economy. China cares nothing to losing thousands or millions of citizens. I suspect the virus was not an accident but intentionally spawned by China. Cheaper that making war.
Don’t Tread On Me,
China is boasting it economy is back and booming.
Mr. Smit,
Harry,
Thanks for the comment.
Hard choices ahead for out leaders, time they earn their pay.
Every president has been criticized for being right or wrong. The problem is Trump can not handle it.
He needs to be praised. The press briefings are a joke. Pence is doing the best job he can with his hands tied and saying nothing but praise for his boss
The CEO of My Pillow isn’t a real important person to talk at a pandemic briefing other than to praise Trump.
Stay safe you are on your own.
Mr. Longstreet,
Sir,
Our President could jump in the air and fly, your comment would be he is too lazy to walk.
Thank for the comment.
If our president could jump in the air and fly, I, perhaps like Mr. Longstreet, would be amazed. But I don’t think that will happen.
If our president could put the interests of our country ahead of his own personal interests, I’d be amazed, but I don’t think that is going to happen.
If our president could begin to express himself truthfully, I’d be amazed, but I don’t think that is going to happen.
I’m open to being amazed. But I don’t think that is going to happen.
Some of us have become so used to criticizing the president for his many and varied faults that we cannot separate ourselves politically from the COVID-19 debacle. Personally, I’m fighting that urge and trying to limit my thoughts to the things we can learn from this situation.
Mr. Traxler is entirely correct that prevention is of utmost importance right now. To go backward and trash-talk the president is counterproductive. To try to find fault with Mike Pence based on old notions rather than seeing how he is stepping up to his new responsibility is also a waste of time.
COVID-19 is like a space alien come to earth. We know about it only what we discover each day. Dr. Fauci has been, of late, quick to state what he doesn’t know. Dr. Birx is a bit more cards-close-to-the-vest, perhaps because she is trying to navigate the minefield of the president’s emotions and whims. But she gives us facts and tries to be straightforward.
At a time when all of us are faced with an emotional response anywhere on the spectrum from drug-addled mellowed-out to frenzied on the edge of mania, we need to be much more thoughtful about how we express ourselves. We also need to be less critical and more understanding of one another.
Right now I believe that it is unimportant to take issue with anything AB says that I don’t agree with. That doesn’t amount to a hill of beans when compared to the larger and more important issues of how to flatten the curve and how to stay healthy and safe.
So let’s stop the name-calling. Let’s stop labeling by political aspersions. Let’s take this time to look at all we agree on, have in common, and strive for equally. That would be that we all want to survive this scary time, we all want to live in a healthy community, and we all want to return to a sense that we are all the same by virtue of our love of country.
Peace and health to all.