This sums it up but let me break it down as I see it as a science teacher and the daughter of a senior citizen. We are not spreading panic, we are trying to keep everyone safe. No one is telling you to NOT live your life. We are asking you to keep a safe distance away and to consider others before you do stupid stuff like packing Disney World for a party to celebrate them closing down. As the granddaughter of Walt Disney said, “Are you f*cking kidding me?” People just don't think things through.
The people on the beach at Florida really grind my gears because they are so willfully ignorant. Some big Joe Blow was with his family, "It's all sand right, no surfaces, that will be okay". Of course it will...but what about when you go eat? The restaurants were packed. Then there was the sheriff who posted a picture of himself with his kids out at a packed restaurant with the admonition to go out and support local businesses. No sir. That is not how it is done. Many places are doing curbside pickup and you can encourage that, not sitting and eating in a proven petri dish. What can I say about the pastor that told his congregation that his church will never close because they are not pansies. And let's not forget the YOLO folks out there buying cheap flights to go on a "dream vacation" because, again, you only live once. They believe themselves to be healthy so no worries right? WRONG you jackwagon!!! You may not show symptoms and still have it. Idris Elba found out that he had been exposed so he got tested and was positive while he was still feeling well. Do you have Idris Elba money to pay for a test??? So you go on your vacation to Egypt (not anymore, all that is or is about to be shut down) and you unknowingly touch a surface that has the COVID-19 virus on it. You have fun, get on a plane and come back home. Two days later you still feel fine so you visit your friend who later in the week visits Grandma Rosie who is 75 and she picks it up. So your fun effectively kills your friends' grandmother. Yeah, that's not fun now is it? And yes, with 18 deaths in one nursing home in Washington state the crap just got real.
Let's talk about testing shall we? There are more than 6,300 people who have tested positive. That number is drastically under reported. There are many people who are sick but don't fall in that range of senior/health compromised and can't get tested. They are sent home. I have read many stories of people who had their doctor say they were positive but they couldn't spare one of their 4 kits to actually prove it so go home and call the CDC. Unreal. How many doctors and nurses don't have what they need to stay safe? How many first responders? Cops know that they could get shot but how many expect to have a sneeze take them out? What about the nurses who have two masks and will wash one while using the other. No. This is not right. If we don't slow this down now we will be dealing with it for such a long time. The current administration is no help. “Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment—try getting it yourselves,” Trump told governors, according to the Times, adding, “We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves. Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.” And of course, that last sentence is not true along with much of what he says. The government is spending a lot but it is just one big money grab for them. Trump's son-in-law's family is the company that gets a distribution contract if there is a vaccine. They insisted on a payroll tax cut that does not benefit the working class who will be unemployed but the wealthy employers. Um, guess where the money for school funding comes from, yep, those taxes that they just cut. You think it is rough teaching your kids at home now, sheesh, just wait.
So, let's sum it all up. It is not paranoia. As I tried to tell my 78 year old pops, this is taking a step back to save you, me, my sister, my nephew and Grandma Rosie. Please be compliant and limit contact. School is out until April 10 for Fort Bend ISD. That is nearly a MONTH, Houston ISD is out longer and several districts have just thrown in the towel for this year. If we don't get our act together really quickly this "paranoid panic" will be a stain that won't wash out for a long time. The economy is tanked, the world is closed and there is no school, or sports, or Disneyland. Take the time to sit and be still. Stop being defiant. We can come back from this. Our great(great?) grandparents did after World War II. The beautiful music coming out of Italy and the free book reading and concerts online help. Listen to Mr. Rogers, look for the helpers. We don't have an administration that is helping us but we are helping ourselves. Let's continue to do so. No, no gloom and doom or head in the sand but realistically looking at the numbers and taking a step back for the sake of all of us.
