WrappedAroundATinyStrandOfRNAVille
Don't know about you, but I am doing my best to stay calm and resist getting alarmist about Lotusland's sharp rise in new and active COVID-19 cases.
After all, while clearly lagging indicators, the hospitalization and death numbers are still low.
And the fact that new infections are skewing younger may help keep those lagging indicators low.
Finally, we are increasing our contact tracing capabilities which should help as well.
But...
Yesterday was grocery store day for me and the number of old people like me without masks who were also ignoring physical distancing guidelines really, really freaked me out.
OK?
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6 comments:
It is the post Boomer generations, no one has ever told them "no". Spoiled, entitled, the little dears are now facing the first real crisis in their lifetime, other than being caught wearing non designer clothes or not going anywhere expensive for ones third annual holiday.
Boo F'ing Hoo
Sadly, the covid lesson will last lifelong.
I have been wearing a cloth mask when I go into stores. I'm not wild about wearing one because I invariably get steamy glasses. I did feel really weird going to my credit union the other day while wearing a mask.
Anon-At-The-Top--
I dunno...It's the behaviour of the Boomers that is freaking me out.
And I say that as someone that was born, as Mr. G. Sumner once said, 'in the 50's' (albeit at the tail end of said decade).
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EG--
OK, do have to admit that it can be problematic for the wearing of the glasses....but still.
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Predisposing lung conditions have forced me to use mask and hand-sanitizer for several years. I’ve been sick from the flu, really, really, scary sick— focuses the mind, eventually ignoring how others look at my mask (which, as now with Covid, I don’t wear much outside at safe distance). So this Covid trip is like old hat to me, myself. It’s just the other people I worry about now.
I was initially chuffed at this most unlikely bit of luck: I actually feel safer out there because of Covid—that is, because more people are following protocols which should, theoretically, reduce the spread of other contagions that might also whack me. I was also chuffed that BC was doing so well pandemically while adjacent jurisdictions contrasted so starkly. But I have to say, it still really bugs me when I see vulnerable people like me at the supermarket who aren’t wearing masks, not distancing and, seems likely, not washing hands, either. And I’m sure it’s not just me imagining things: this slackness —or backsliding or whatever you want to call it—has been getting more noticeable during August.
I’ll be hunkering down in a month or so like I usually do—a bit more remote now, electronic media instead of live visits; I’m blessed that I can turn off the whole world and forget about Covid if I wanted to, but I know it’s not that simple: I have family, friends and acquaintances out there about whom I worry—especially the predisposed ones, the chemo patients, the asthmatics and school kids (like our grandkids). Moreover, I have compatriots whom I must care about for the sake of our province. Tending to look at everything as interconnected —or, ecological—how people behave during the pandemic is going to affect everything from looming elections to schooling and on to medical necessities and grocery shopping. And the worst is yet to come, I think.
Perhaps because of my peculiar situation I’d taken a realistic assessment of the pandemic from the start—in fact, I was surprised at how dear this attitude appeared—and appalled at the hyper partisan exacerbation of an already-deadly problem in the USA. Frankly—and no brag—I predicted everything that’s happened so far and I don’t see yet any reason to adjust what I’ve anticipated will be a very challenging fall and winter: despite my pride that BC had done so well initially, I always thought the virus would mutate from Corona to Kelowna virus, that summer revelry would erode previous successes, that foolhardy bravery would acculturate among summering youth, and that complacency gradually accumulated would eventually get its comeuppance at the intersections of returning schools, seasonal influenza and the next phase of contingent policies politicians will be forced to roll out in response to rising infection numbers. My question is what the coincidence of flu and Covid will require of public health authorities: I trust they have considered all this very carefully, but it’s still an experience yet had and has potential to be very challenging.
But of course I’ve always presumed that a series of lessons would have to be meted out during the inevitable, its only a question how quickly or thoroughly the population will comply. One reassuring factor is that because BC citizens have been relatively cooperative hitherto, authorities have been able to keep more stringent contingencies in reserve. I am reassured in this way, but really hope people will grab a brain and get back on track without government having to resort to more drastic measures.
Oh, and one more thing, I sure don’t think this fall or winter will be a good time to pump up partisanship by way of (potential) early elections in BC and Canada—because partisanship is what makes getting the only real Covid policy done much more difficult—as we see just south of the border line. More restrictive protocols will have to be perceived as fairly applied to every stripe and that’s near impossible on campaign.
Good luck, everybody!
Well thought and written, Scotty. As usual.
As an old geezer with recent history of multiple blood clots in both lungs and radiation treatment for cancer, I’ve been picking my spots these days as well. It’s hard not to look at others, including family members who work on the front lines and a granddaughter due to restart high school soon, as potential threats. It may be natural instinct to react that way, but it doesn’t feel right.
Here’s hoping those who haven’t been on board to date will see the light, grab an oar (and a mask) and start rowing with us to safe harbour soon.
Scotty--
One thing we noticed when we were on Gabriola just before the numbers blew up again is that folks there were very conscientious in all respects. Sure hope that is holding on Denman as well. Agree completely with you about the partisanship/early election issue.
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Lew--
It's that 'potential threat' thing that is the most discomfiting, indeed.
Regarding the front line folks - in the beginning it seemed that there was universal agreement that everyone in that role was more important than the soft-handed ones (like me, for example) that can work, pretty much full-time, from home. Sadly, that POV appears to have changed in the last few weeks as well.
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