Stop the World

It seems unfair that during a pandemic other things don't stop.

We have had to stop our physical interactions.  Stop businesses.  Stop conferences, classes, meetings.

But other things?  Do not stop.

And so we have floods, some of them catastrophic.  We have weather events - hundreds of people in Bengal and Bangladesh affected by storms.  Volcanoes erupt and earthquakes happen.  Glaciers melt.

And climate change goes on.  Even as we stopped travelling so much, even as we stopped polluting so much.  Even so.

Scientists warn that the tiny blip in numbers is essentially meaningless.  As soon as we go back to 'normal' things will continue to worsen.  In fact, they haven't actually improved all that much.  The fact we may have clear blue skies just means there is less particulate matter in the air, not that carbon dioxide isn't still warming the earth.

Individually people still have health issues beyond the pandemic.  People with chronic illnesses are still ill.  We are just 'better' at isolating ourselves, so may be managing better than people who do not have that background of having to deal with being careful because of our health.

Some countries are doing a better job of helping their citizens weather the pandemic 'storm'.  Others?  Not so much.

And a small vocal minority screams for business to open as usual, refusing to protect themselves or others from the spread of a deadly virus.  Last time I checked there were over 5 million people who had caught the virus and 300,000+ people who have died from it.  There is still no cure, no vaccine, and people advocating for society to just get a grip and let the virus run rampant through the world so that we can quickly develop herd immunity are willing to do that at the expense of thinning the herd.

They don't seem to care that millions could and likely would die.  They are ok with people who are immune compromised or old to go ahead and just die already.  They don't care that a significant number of people who survive the virus will do so with compromised bodies.  In the US that means that those people will have 'pre-existing conditions' and will not be eligible for health insurance.

And they don't care.

There are times when I want to throw up my hands and just hunker down and try to ignore those bleating about their 'rights' and their 'roots'.  But I cannot.

So I urge everyone to stay safe.  Stay at home if you can.  Wear a mask if you must go out.  Maintain physical distance.

And now that most of the world is seeing the end of the first wave and beginning to slowly lift restrictions, it is time for us all to think about what we have learned from this pandemic.  What we need to do to change the inequities in society.  How we can protect ourselves from further calamity.  How we can continue to live and grow and support each other.