Second Spike

                It’s now been a full three months since we went into stay at home orders, and though that order is no longer in effect, it is clear that we are in worse shape now than we were when the orders were first put in place. Back in March the virus was something that we feared. Something that carried a big weight with it. We holed away in our homes trying to do what we needed to stay safe, both for ourselves and those we cared about. Looking around today, trying to figure out where I stand with the whole situation, I have never wanted to stay at home more.

                Yes, I definitely have some cabin fever and I long for a change of scenery. However, new infections are being reported now than they were in April when we though we hit the peak of the virus. Apparently, some switch was flipped, and people just don’t seem to care anymore. Covid-19 apparently isn’t something to be feared anymore, its just this thing that exists. I don’t feel the same sense of fear and respect that this deserves. It seems as though people are going about with a “eh, if it gets me it’ll get me” type of attitude.

                With this type of attitude, why did we even bother shutting things down and staying home? Things are arguably worse now than they were at the end of March and beginning of April. It was a very hard choice to shut things down, many jobs lost, many people losing healthcare because they lost their job. It was a terrible price to pay at a time when we needed to rely on each other the most. I get that not everyone will have agreed with the stay at home orders and shutting down businesses, but this was done to protect lives. To make it so that we would at some point be able to resume something close to our old lives, with as many of us still around to do so. We’re opening back up now, and Covid-19 is still just as there as ever, but we wouldn’t dare restrict people again. That was too hard, people had to make some sacrifices. Obviously that was too much to ask.

                I can understand that there are some factors driving the current increase in new cases. Some are understandable, but the nonchalance about the seriousness is unnerving. I have a hard enough time finding the will power to go out and see people I don’t know. Now, new thoughts are creeping into my mind to do mundane things like shopping. Will there be people who don’t care about the lives of others? AKA not wearing a mask. Have these people just gone to a very public place? How much risk am I willing to take? I don’t ask these questions solely for myself, I ask because I’m thinking about my 2 kids. Sure, from most findings kids are less likely to exhibit symptoms, but they can also exhibit some far more horrible symptoms when the body is done fighting the virus. Also, I’d like to be able to see my less immediate family. Some of which may fall into the high risk category.

                All of this is not to say that I don’t think people can start to enjoy some things that they used to. I just wish that there was a more obvious sense of fear and caution. I will never be able to understand the mind set of those who refuse to wear a mask. Not wearing one sends a clear message to everyone around you: you don’t care about life. It’s as simple as that. With the number of ways this virus can be spread, that number significantly decreases by use of a mask. I know they aren’t the most comfortable thing, but unless you need them for work, why are you wearing one for long anyway? In case you weren’t aware there is a virus out there trying to find a new host. You should probably still be spending most of your time at home. This isn’t over yet, and it can’t end unless we all take the proper steps. We need to have each other’s backs, continue to make sacrifices, deal with that cabin fever a little longer. Let’s get to a point where maybe we don’t need to live with the threat of returning to stay at home orders. We’ve all adapted to change over the course of our lives, I think we are more than capable of adapting to this one as well.