Saturday, June 27, 2020

Coronavirus - The Resurgence

So, just when we thought we were coming out of the other side of the COVID woods, we now find out there there's a new surge of cases. Places that had previously started the re-opening process are now backtracking and shutting things down again.

Now, lets back up a few weeks. While we were still being told to practice social distancing and to wear masks when in crowds, thousands of protestors gathered in the streets all over America. While some of them did indeed don facemasks, it seemed to be a futile gesture considering that they were literally rubbing elbows with fellow protestors.

When this all started to transpire, the first thought that entered my mind was, "Watch, there's going to be a spike in COVID cases in a few weeks..."

Well, I don't consider myself Nostradamus. But yet here we are, a few weeks later with a spike in COVID cases! Imagine that!

The amazing thing about the recent spike is that the media will not even suggest that the protests had anything to do with it. And to add to the drama, the initial onset of COVID cases were largely affecting senior citizens and individuals who had compromised immune systems. But we are now seeing a spike in young healthy adults. Hmm, and what age group has been participating in the protesting and other miscellaneous mob-based activity?

While some states like Florida and Texas are rolling back their re-opening processes, nothing is being said to discourage the random gatherings in the name of protest. I would like someone to explain to me how the COVID infection rate differs between a gathering of people in bar or restaurant versus a gathering of people at a statue demolition. And don't give me any bullshit about the indoor versus outdoor scenario. When mobs of "peaceful protestors" were looting liquor stores and other fine shopping establishments, they were also indoors and not particularly abiding by the standard social-distancing rules.

In my home state of Maryland, at last check, restaurants are currently allowed to conduct indoor dining at 50% capacity with tables being at least 6 feet part. Just curious, what are the rules when attending a police-bashing rally? I have been told of some restaurants being reported and cited for violating the social-distancing protocol. Has there been any enforcement or even criticism of large protests? Just so I'm clear, this has nothing to do with the protests themselves. I am strictly talking abut the number of people in a given space at the same time. Why the double standard?

Here's another wild idea (assuming that it's not already being done)....Maybe newly diagnosed COVID patients should be asked if they've attended a recent protest. That would at least give us an indication on whether the protests have contributed to the spike. But, of course, we'd be relying on honest feedback. And I'm not sure that's even possible anymore.....

kw

1 comment:

  1. This is common sense. I'm not sure that is considered any more.

    ReplyDelete