Open Thread Follow Up: Are You Serious?
The pandemic is surging/resurging in some areas and retreating in others; authorities say it’s a matter of how seriously the locals are about taking precautions: social distancing, wearing masks, hand sanitizers, etc. In NYC, for instance, restaurants were preparing to open for in-house dining, only to have the Governor pull back indefinitely because of the lack of compliance among some party animals; other states are re-instituting limits as well….all because some folks won’t take precautions seriously.
So how about it – are people taking it seriously where you live? Wearing masks in stores? Keeping socially distant? How is it affecting your day to day life? Let us know in the comments!
Photo by Edwin Hooper on Unsplash
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog “Don’t Get Me Started” puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City each week. Send your suggestions for Open Threads to her at editor@seniorplanet.org.
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Comments
It’s gotten where I feel naked without one.
On March 31, 2020, a report was published about an MIT-CDC study of the 1918 flu and compared the economic impact in US cities that took decisive action versus those that let the 1918 flu run wild. The data was clear: cities that responded inadequately to the virus had more severe economic impact. Similarly, the less seriously the nation takes our response actions to contain Covid-19, the worse will be the economic impact. Control the virus spread and we minimize the economic damage. See the MIT-CDC report here: http://news.mit.edu/2020/pandemic-health-response-economic-recovery-0401
I’m from NY. We are living it. Mask wearing and distancing are necessary. Until outbreaks are small and traceable children can not go to school and the economy can not resume. Just common sense. Federal Government will not do anything to help until Trump is out and Biden is in!
I think, “just wear your mask.”
your headline/subject head was ‘How long this lockdown lasts depends on how seriously we take it…..or not’
But wearing masks, doing all the social distancing and isolation is NOT about shortening the time of the lockdown. It is about ‘flattening the curve,’ making sure that not too many of us get sick at once, but rather we slowly take turns. This will last as long as the virus has no treatment or vaccine; or until it mutates into something else. Slowing down the spread will not make that happen any sooner.
Slowing down the spread may allow the care providers to live otherwise every sick person increases the chance for the caregivers to get ill and or die. Think. Flattening the curve which is slowing down the spread allows the health system to try to provide care within its abilities. If there are three nurses and all have to work but only 2 sets of gowns and masks that will keep that caregiver safe, the third one will not be safe but they will be told to work. How about the fireman on the ambulance crew who has worked 2 shifts because 4 of his buddies are quarantined? How about it when there is no one to man an ambulance?
In Monroe County, Michigan the practices of wearing a mask in public, and honoring social distancing are only a 50/50 proposition. That applies in ALL venues: retail outlets, restaurants, parks, public meeting places. Not so good.
I could wish it was 50/50 in my North Carolina county. Our 50 year old son does most all our shopping and errands for us. He says MAYBE 2 in 6 people shopping have masks on. I have to worry about him going out among people who don’t care if they’re contagious or not since he has disabilities. I have a bunch of trouble understanding if so many people just don’t care, or if they don’t understand…beginning with the people who occupy the white house. Stay safe and healthy everyone!