We’re pretending to be safe. I have struggled to understand the thinking of those in charge, but the logic just isn’t there. Conspiracists, will tell you it’s not that real. I tend to step back and observe things from a strangers view, Michelle tells me I’m too analytical. Maybe if more people were analytical of things, we would have better politicians, doctors, and safer practices towards one another.
I’m not in the conspiracy crowd, but I do ask why and try to look at things from the outside. Too many people just blindly follow directions and trust that what we are hearing is the truth, and they have our best interest in mind. We’re dumb. No, I mean that in a literal sense. Not all of us maybe, but the vast majority blindly follow advice, and what others tell us. We give up safety in exchange for convenience. Those in business, tell us what they want us to hear, for convenience.
The virus is real, it kills. Yet we see no “real” attempts by local or national authorities to stop the spread or fatalities. We still can’t get an adequate vaccine supply in Alabama. Partial shutdowns, then cries of dying businesses, then reopening. We are governed, by a majority of those that value money over human life. We send billions to other countries, that could be used to shore up the US during a lock down. The conflicts/wars we are involved in cost the US an estimated $38 Million and an hour. So, one has to ask, are we being manipulated for votes and money? Or is this truly the real world.
Outside
Let’s look at how we are “protecting” ourselves. We wear a mask outside in many states and cities. Other places allow no mask outside, yet we pass within one or two feet of others on the street. Some of us give a wide berth as we pass. Yet no one thinks of the draft that follows a person as you pass them. What they exhale is pulled along with them for several feet and swirls outward from them in that light draft as well. Then mask less people walk right through the area where the virus could be lingering.
Inside Areas (Restaurants)
In Restaurants, most have signs that require you to wear a mask when entering. Once you are seated, you may remove your mask. They generally have an empty booth or table between diners to provide six feet social distancing. Look at this in a truly analytical view. Does the virus truly have a limited distance of the optimal 6 feet? As people walk by, are they not carrying a potential virus along in their wake, from table to table. Can the servers interacting with other tables not carry the virus in their wake, hands or clothes? I’ve joked that the virus has been told not to enter occupied table areas. Barring jokes aside, does the establishment utilize HEPA filters rated to stop microbes? I doubt it. We all breathe the same air. Which brings us to the next great thing most have bought into.
Inside Areas (Planes, Trains, and Automobiles) No, not the movie.
For some reason, airlines do commercials to assure us that a flight in a totally sealed can, sitting inches from one another is safe. “We filter our air”, they say. Imagine the expense, and modifications it would take to filter microbes on an airliner, by an industry already at the brink of failure, efficiently. The extra handling of the HEPA filters when they are changed, due to possible hazardous biological contamination would be another cost. I understand that some people have to work and travel. I believe the majority are not working people, but those trusting the commercials. Manybe we can believe a government agency. The Defense department went as far as to say,
What we’re told, and actual facts. 2020
Although there has been no evidence of plane flights causing many super-spreader events, there have been cases of transmission. In September, a man flying from Dubai to New Zealand tested negative for the virus, but was, in fact, infected and passed it on to other passengers. The flight had 86 passengers and seven of them tested positive for the virus when they arrived in New Zealand, despite having worn masks and gloves. The seven passengers had been sitting within four rows of each other and the virus’s genetic sequence in six of seven of the positive passengers was identical.
Me? I wouldn’t fly on a bet.
“overall exposure risk from aerosolized pathogens, like coronavirus, is very low” and concluded that a person would have to be sitting next to an infectious passenger for at least 54 hours to get an infectious dose of the virus through the air. But the “54-hour” number has since been removed from the report at the request of the authors, who worried it was being misinterpreted.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/25/travel/air-travel-safety-coronavirus.html
I know the virus is real. I think our family had it last year in the first outbreak. My mother-in-law passed away during the time we were all sick, she had prior lung problems. I have a forum member that is in the hospital now, with the Covid-19 virus. What do you think, are we being careful enough? Are we getting the support we need? Or is this crisis just being squeezed for all it’s worth.
How would you combat this crisis.
Comments always welcome.
Ron, you pose a lot of valid questions. I tend to side with science, although there is little doubt in my mind so much of this crisis has been politicized. I am fortunate to have two members of my close family who are well educated in epidemiology. When in doubt, I defer to them. As for us, we are staying close to home, only taking trips out for necessities. No eating out or food to-go for the very reasons you mentioned. Our state has been under a mask mandate for months although being near other state borders with no mandates creates a challenge. I fear the virus will be here for a long time since we cannot seem to get our act together.
I was just reading today, Maggie. The 1918 Spanish Flu lasted 3 years. I’m glad that you have some good educated family members to rely on. We have many that refuse to follow the mask mandate here,
Our state, is not getting the vaccines we need, and are uncoordinated with the dispersal of what they do have. It’s been one big debacle.
Our state is holding a virtual town hall this afternoon to talk about the vaccines. I am not sure what will come of it, but I am anxious to hear their predictions. We have used 100% of our federal allocations, and living rurally does not bode well for a speedy opportunity to receive the vaccine.
Oh Dear Ron! You could have created numerous Posts here, instead of one which asks lots of questions and triggers many thoughts … so here goes with my take on your points:
Yes … the world is sadly money driven, which seems to explain the dithering around that we see in our leaders.Ethics would suggest locking everything down to get the virus under control, but businesses carry significant weight (financial) with all levels of government. Their desire to survive the pandemic dictates staying open. Somewhere there I guess there is a balance which decision makers are trying to find.
The “billions sent to other countries” could be valid transactions in that they assure a return in some form. i.e. We invest in you, and you give us ……. (whatever). The world is so “small” now that only a fool (i.e. Trump) would believe that a country can stand on its own. Even Trump’s plans on bringing industries back into the US was flawed because they are currently making competitive products due to low cost labour. Bring the businesses back into the US poses the question “Who is going to work for them at the current low rates? If the business increases its costs to cover the US labour rates, then will they still be competitive on the world “stage”?
Regarding the high military expenditures? There are individuals there who support a good military skirmish periodically. Manufacturing arms/weapons needs a good conflict on a regular basis in order to survive. What could be better than manufacturing a product range which not only uses of a pile of additional items (shells, rockets, bullets etc) which must be replaced, but the arms themselves get regularly destroyed. The US has (I understand) a huge arms industry which seriously influences the politicians (and I am not even considering the open influencing by the NRA!).
Wearing masks? A small point, and maybe I misunderstood your choice of words, but we do not protect ourselves by wearing a mask. Wearing a mask protects others from us. i.e. we need others to wear masks in order to protect us.
Regarding social distancing, air born transmission – I agree with you, but think that these are typical compromises established to support businesses wherever possible, while offering a degree of protection to individuals. I believe “my choice” is important to me, and it is my choice not to go to a restaurant etc. etc. In fact, it is my choice to take this virus seriously, so I only go out if absolutely necessary.
As for flying? I am with you … no way! The aircraft industry is so powerful, and so expensive, that influence peddling is inevitable. we (Canada) are still receiving flights from UK and Europe despite known virus variants that have recently arrived here. Air Canada is (I suspect) heavily financially supported by our Federal Government. They certainly carry some influence.
The medical profession here are choosing their words carefully, using “probable”, “possible”, “maybe” etc. when it comes to infection possibilities. However, they do freely admit that they are still learning about this virus and therefore can only recommend based on current knowledge. Not so long ago, they believed that dogs had a natural immunity and were safe. A small number of dogs testing positive forced a re-think on that. If we can carry it on our clothes and in our hair (current belief), then can dogs carry it in their fur. It has been our choice to always err on the side of caution, so our beloved Ray does not meet anybody or other dogs at the moment.
Summary! I can understand the “decision makers” trying to protect commerce and the population as best they can, because it will always come down to me making the ultimate decision about how I react to it all. What frustrates the hell out of me, are those individuals who are either not listening to the news; not checking facts with reliable sources, or have got their heads buried so deep into the ground, that they simply do not acknowledge the seriousness of these times.
Perhaps COVID-19 and its variants are simply Mother Nature’s way of getting the human population under control, given that we’re screwing up the planet? Perhaps the plan is to cull out the stupid ones, and if a few valuable ones go as well, that’s just unfortunate!
Nice chatting Ron! 🙂
Such a great comment, Colin. I agree with a lot you have to say. It’s up to us as individuals to take, or not take a chance to go out. I prefer to stay close to home and venture forth, only when really necessary.
I think the heads in the sand is the best analogy. Too many people buried on Facebook, Kardashians and other make believe distractions. It just can’t happen to them.
I have often wondered if Mother nature would eventually rebel against humans, which appear to have become an infection. We make the planet sick, and at some point we will be thinned out. All things happen for a reason, in nature.
Thanks again, Colin.
🙂
International air and rail travel has been a big issue here in Britain. It should have been stopped from the start, but money and business made the government lax on that. Now they are ‘enforcing’ quarantine for new arrivals, as in making them stay in a hotel. But is someone watching them 24/7, to make sure they don’t leave the hotel? Of course not. We have people refusing to wear masks, and refusing to obey the rules by assembling in groups. Just recently, an Orthodox Jewish Wedding was held in North London, with 400 guests in close proximity, none wearing masks. The organiser was fined £10,000, but what about the outsiders affected by those who attended? This virus will never go away, because not enough people care enough about other people.
Best wishes, Pete.
I think you have hit the proverbial nail, on the head, Pete. People want to talk about their rights, never mind that it may infringe on my right to avoid the virus. I can’t for the life of me, understand people having parties, weddings and congregations when it will harm their fellow man.
Great thoughts Ron, I agree with them. I am afraid that money and power are the root of so many issues and it can corrupt many of good people. I do not take to heart everything I hear on the news, internet etc. I check on the news status from all sources so that I am informed of what is going on. I feel that if I am not right there seeing it with my own eyes, than I have to make a decision on what I see. But I will not let it stop my from living life. Life goes by so fast, worrying about things that we can not control, is a waste of time for me. Thank you for your thoughts today. 🙂
I agree, Sandra J. Few sources on the Internet can be counted on to be correct these days. Life is too short, and too many problems anymore.
Thanks sharing all this, Ron! A few things from up here…
Re: “We still can’t get an adequate vaccine supply in Alabama. Partial shutdowns, then cries of dying businesses, then reopening.” – Same here in Montreal, Quebec – Canada, sad to say!!! Vaccine doses have stopped coming in for a few weeks. Slowdowns at the source(s). So John and I are still waiting and will likely still be vaccine-less in March, and maybe April too. 🙁
We’ve been in major lockdown since about 3 weeks. It’s supposed to end Feb. 8. GOOD, because we all need haircuts, pedicures, shopping for clothing etc etc. Our premier instituted this because of awfully high numbers of cases that followed Xmas and New Years. Stores, bars, theatres, restos all closed. Except for takeout/delivery ok (restos) and ‘corner stores.’ Oh, what $$ losses for businesses forced to be closed.
We had to take care not to overload our hospitals. Many healthcare worker sick at home, or off from burnout/fatigue etc. Some quit altogether. 🙁 So because of staff shortages, we had to really be careful and not tax hospitals.
Flying – OMG, where to start. Airlines are no longer allowed to take ‘snowbirds’ (passengers) to ‘sun’ destinations, e.g. Florida or the Caribbean. Many people now stuck down there with no flights to get home!! And international flights are allowed to land ONLY at 4 airports: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, or Montreal. It’s really a mess. Airlines losing millions, maybe billions.
Land border with U.S. still closed (except for “essential” workers). I haven’t seen my son in NY since Mother’s Day 2019!! Sigh…
BUT – a light at the end of the tunnel, as the cliche goes – our numbers are falling now!! I guess precisely because of the closures, mask-wearing etc. etc. So our Premier Legault is going to announce later today some gradual reopening of places. We’ll see… Stay tuned…
We would be in better shape if our leaders had closed us down tight for a couple of months.
I just heard, our numbers seem to be going down now. Tell your son to cross on the Mexican border, that border is always open.
Almost a year later and we are scrambling about. My good friend and her husband, 78 and 83 respectively, have tried for a month to get into Beaumont Hospital’s vaccination program – multiple hospitals and wellness centers giving the vaccine only no vaccine, or the follow-up vaccine. Lots of finger pointing. Our local grocery store advertised yesterday they are registering everyone but screening by age and she already has an appointment. Nothing makes sense. I wear a mask when I walk at the park but it’s a problem now as I wear glasses, and even with FogAway sprayed on, they fog up and I pull my mask down to free my nose to alleviate the fogging. But I also stay away from everyone, but don’t like it one bit. I’ve not been to a store, for gas, anywhere, even not going for my monthly allergy shots since November 23rd, but not we are ready to enter into the worse phase of COVID with these variants. I pray we do not take three years to get over this pandemic. We have lost almost 15,000 lives here in Michigan.
I know what you mean by the foggy glasses, Linda. That is my biggest problem. We are seeing a decrease in our area of cases, but I wonder is that the truth? Or what they want us to hear, or could it be the climate is different here.
Stay safe, and do your best to avoid it. I hope it is over soon.
Yes, that’s a real problem, even with the spray on them Ron. I don’t like pulling my mask up/down and touching it while I am out. I’ve been trying to just avoid people if possible, even in the neighborhood. You stay safe too Ron. I think it wil be a while until everything is normal again. Good thing you are retired and are not interacting with as many other people.