What Covid-19 Tells Us About Our Neighbors and Other Thoughts

In watching the reactions of my neighbors and our country to the Corona Virus (its existence, its spread in this country, the way we are handling it, etc.), I realize that it tells me a lot about my fellow citizens.

The first thing that struck me early on was the panic, and the continued fomenting of panic to make the story better.  That, early on, combined with the seeming need of the Democrats to use the virus and the accompanying panic as a new weapon against the President.  When WHO named it a pandemic (a term that simply means "an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people," the panic level increased, as if pandemic meant the end of the world.  WHO by the way is the World Health Organization, and not Who’s on first (since with baseball cancelled no one is on first – but, I digress). 

With the new encouraged panic that came with the label pandemic, and the accompanying attacks on the President for how he was handling it, I couldn’t help but see the words that exist within “pandemic”:  PANIC and DEM.  It sure seemed like an appropriate coincidence that the Dems were using the pandemic to try to foment panic in a way that would hurt the President. 

But, those are politicians, and, truth be told, they seem to be doing a better job at bipartisanship in the last few days.  Though, certainly, they will examine every word of every press conference once this threat has passed in order to find new ammunition against their opponents.

So, let’s look at the regular people.  How did they react?  First, there is the hoarding.  Of ridiculous items like toilet paper –I really don’t understand that.  I can understand buying a  little more soap or hand sanitizer, but what about the woman I watched in my local grocery pull the 7 remaining jars (gallon size I think) of hand sanitizer into her already overloaded basket, and refuse to share with someone who asked if she could have just one?  Why are people hoarding water?  This isn’t a drought.  Perishable foods that would last me 3 months that I know will rot before they are used while someone else who just wanted a week’s worth will go without.  This is not only ridiculous; it is selfish plain and simple.

This selfishness is especially noteworthy due to the fact that many of these same people are the ones who are usually lecturing about our need to take care of those less fortunate than us.  I guess that is fine when you have all you need, but when you think they might have or get something that you want, then it becomes just fine to ignore their pleas.  For so many it is really all about oneself, and I am interpreting this to also mean that the seemingly humanitarian gestures they may make when we are without a pandemic really serve some ulterior selfish motive (the need to have people dependent on oneself, the need to feel superior in one’s ability to “help” someone less fortunate, the general need for power).   

Then there are the variety of guidelines, that are generally put out by the CDC, but required at varying levels by different states.  So many people think these guidelines, or even the state requirements do not apply to them.   Clearly, they do not understand the purpose of the varieties of social distancing that are suggested or required, or if they do, then they are just plain selfish.   They would rather not give up a night out or some other unnecessary pleasure than eliminate the risk that they might carry the virus to someone else.  Yes, one can carry the virus without showing symptoms, and the more places we go the more likely it is that we will come into contact with the virus and potentially carry it to another.   Each one of us should really think of ourselves as a carrier, and we should understand that it is not about our selfishly not missing some nonessential event, but about us protecting our fellow humans – our neighbors.  Yes, the social distancing protects oneself, but it also protects our fellow citizens.

Another thing that stands out to me is the inability of many people to deal with uncertainty.  This virus and our knowledge of it is ever evolving and so there really are no certain answers.  This does not sit well with many; they become angry, they think they are being lied to (“you said that yesterday, but today you say this”), they attack, and then they think they can just ignore everything.

I have recently been watching the daily White House briefings on the virus.  First, I would argue that the President and his team of experts are doing an amazing job.  Probably not perfect (I’m sure the Democrats will analyze even the slightest imperfections to death once this is over), but they are balancing reality with possible panicked overreaction or over limitation on our freedoms.  As is appropriate, they leave the extent of requirement and enforcement to state governors who can assess the particular threats within their state.  And, because the knowledge base about the virus is ever evolving, their statements and recommendations likewise evolve and may even contradict earlier statements.  This makes sense, yet some of the press chooses to use their questions to attack/find fault with this instead.

Yes, we want answers.  Definitive answers.  How long?  How many?  Can I plan something for April?  Can I go to a movie?  With how many friends?  The answers today will likely be different tomorrow.  We must live with this uncertainty as we work to understand and get the virus under control.  Rather than anger, let’s listen to the experts and try to follow their advice – for the good of both ourselves and our fellow Americans.

The President and his team issue guidelines – today a 15 day critical list – which they ASK Americans to follow for the benefit not only of themselves but of their fellow citizens as well.  These, according to the experts, can drastically slow the spread of the virus.  They are not difficult to follow.  They will probably change in 15 days.  Yes, people will need to alter their routines, forego some of their usual activities, but they are nothing like the wartime rationing or the like that our parents and grandparents suffered as they all pulled together for the good of their country.

Rather than complain about the hardships of being asked to stay home for a while, I wish that people would perhaps use that time to educate themselves about this virus and think about how they can do their part for the good of our country rather than whine about what they themselves cannot do.

As a start in that education process here are two links.

The first is to the White House 15 day guidelines issued today.  This 2 page document explains how you can do your part to slow the spread of the virus:  GUIDELINES 

The second link is to an interactive article from the Washington Post that explains why “flattening the curve” of the outbreak is so important and how different levels of social distancing can affect that.  FLATTENING THE CURVE 

I finally note that many people are doing all they can for all of us:  the President and his team, the bipartisan efforts from Congress, the private industries that have stepped up, the individuals who are helping their neighbors, and most importantly, our health care workers who are that thin white line of defense on which we all depend.  So many people, from the President to the local janitor who is keeping things sanitized, are working selflessly for America and its people.  Let’s all get behind them and help to minimize the destruction that this virus will cause.