When I think of the word ‘Pandemic’, other words follow along. Words such as ‘scary’, ‘illness’, ‘worry’, ‘serious’ and ‘death’. Pandemics in history have always been seen as something we, as humans, should fear. It is not only a change to our current events, but also to how we live our daily lives outside of the grander scope of the world.
The novel Coronavirus, also called COVID-19, is a pandemic. Most of us are aware of this simple fact. We are also aware of how the virus is spreading and attacking those in all parts of the world. Worldwide, there are over 1.7 million confirmed cases, with over 500,000 of those coming from the USA. These are not small numbers, even though we have a worldwide population of over 7 billion people. While 1.7 million might not seem like a lot compared to that much bigger number, it is still a lot of people that are getting sick and dying!
New York is starting to bury unclaimed dead people in mass graves because there is nowhere else to put them. . Mass graves are not something we as Americans have had to think about.. They are something that we have seen happen in poorer, war-torn countries, or in our distant past. The only other time mass graves are mentioned are in movies about war and the apocalypse!
Hundreds of thousands of people in the USA are out of work due to this pandemic. The last time this many people were out of work was the early 1930s, known in history books as the Great Depression. While that was not related to a pandemic, it is still related in terms of severity. The Depression changed how our great-grandparents and grandparents lived. People had to watch what they bought, if there was anything left to buy at all. The federal government had to step in and help out the citizens through programs in order to set the world right again. Life had been changed for a while until Americans got comfortable again.
Now, a near decade before the Great Depression, there was a pandemic. Many of us might not have heard of this pandemic until recently through the news, but it was called the Spanish flu (which was not started by the Spanish). The Spanish flu infected millions of people and killed just as many. Mass graves were heavily used as there was nowhere to put the infected dead bodies. It was illegal to be outside without a mask on.
This all sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Yes, the Spanish flu was worse than the COVID-19 as it had a higher kill rate. However, the concept is the same! People got sick, some died, and the lifestyles of before had to be changed. Just as our current 2020 lifestyles have to be changed in order to stop this pandemic. Yet, some people are not taking this seriously. Most Americans are deeply concerned with COVID-19 and are following the orders of medical and government officials to ensure their safety. However, there are those that just don’t seem to understand or care about what is happening in the country, and the world, for that matter.
I am not talking about those that are still working. Those that are still working are those that either need to be because they are in necessary occupations (hospitals, doctors offices, nursing homes, grocery stores, gas stations, etc.), or because their company has not shut down and they need to still be working for financial reasons. Those people all get a round of applause.
I am talking to the people that are bored of being at home and want to go to stores,parks, etc just for the fun of it. These people clearly need to get Pinterest and learn a hobby or craft. These people need to understand that the only ones going out to stores are doing so to get food for their houses. Those driving on the roads are going to work, home from work, or to a necessary place. Some people need to understand that this is not a holiday from school or work. That this money we are getting from the government is not a shopping day on Amazon. That people wearing masks in public are not doing it fora Halloween costume (someone said that to me and my sister). Our country (and world) is turned upside-down right now and we need everyone to join together, to follow the guidelines of safety to ensure this pandemic doesn’t last any longer than it needs to.
I understand that some people (most people) are bored out of their brains right now, but consider this a time to start something.
Start a movie or TV series on a streaming service (as many are offering free trials right now). Read that book that you have been saying you don’t have time to read. Play a video game. Do some gardening – we are allowed outside, especially in our own yards, just practice social distancing. Craft something. Cook or bake. Get ahead on school work. Start Spring cleaning. DO SOMETHING – STAY HOME (as much as you can).
Don’t think it can’t happen to you or the people you love. COVID-19 has shown that it doesn’t discriminate against anyone.