In light of the coronavirus quote pandemic unquote, I am compelled to write this quick short blog sharing my thoughts and opinions.
We as a society (myself included) love drama, epidemics, pandemics, and crisis. We love having our anxiety challenged to new heights. We love any reason to run to the supermarket, Costco, Target, and/or Walmart to wipe out shelves. In moments like these, instead of hunkering down and listening to intelligent news reports we’d rather get our news from social media and IG memes.
Sometimes I think that maybe some of us are afraid of not being able to understand the terminology issued by health care professionals or government officials, so in order not to feel dumb, we resort to IG and FB which somehow makes us feel smarter. And when we feel smarter we feel more in control!! And we all know we love control.
Listen, I am not saying that there isn’t a new strand of the flu virus that has no vaccine that is developing, but hasn’t this happened before? Many times? And we survived?
Yes because it’s unknown people who are exposed will get sick and different variables will determine the outcome. Like many other illnesses in our history. But we don’t live in the middle ages folks!
This was a great article that both debunked the link between virus outbreaks and election years, even though us conspiracy theorists fed into that shit, me included.
BUT it also gives us some data and reliable information about the rise and decline of some of these viruses and we’re still here.
“There is no “cure” yet for COVID-19 as the claim suggests, however many patients do recover on their own. The WHO hasn’t released a recovery rate — in general or by age — at this point, but a recent situation report said that 80 percent of cases are mild or asymptomatic. It can be assumed that most, if not all, such cases have led to a recovery.”
You know a lot of people keep telling me that I am making light of it because I am not necessarily concerned with the health aspect of this virus. I am particularly more concerned with the economic fall out of the virus.
In 2019, it was reported that 40% of Americans live one paycheck away from poverty. Two great articles below.
How many Americans are living in poverty?
Current estimates on poverty in the U.S. The official poverty rate is 12.3 percent, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 estimates. That year, an estimated 39.7 million Americans lived in poverty according to the official measure. According to supplemental poverty measure, the poverty rate was 13.9 percent.
Now these articles refer to the “average” American. I am thinking average American is the person who works for pay, gets taxes taken out, gets sick leave and vacation (maybe) and is paying into a pension or retirement fund. I couldn’t find a definition for the “average” American, but this is what came to mind. If you find one please do share.
My question is though, what is the reported % of average Americans? Because I’ll tell you what I work in public education in an urban area and the percentage of average Americans is pretty low.
I work with a high population of transient, immigrant families who work for cash or under the table because many are undocumented or it’s the only job they could get when they arrived.
These jobs include cleaning homes, busboy or server in restaurants, home repairs or working behind the counter at a grocery store. So, tell me, if we shut down for two to three weeks to “sanitize and contain” a virus that represents itself as previous viruses have, how are these families supposed to survive and pay bills?
Is the government going to put a pause on everyday utility bills? Credit card debt? Mortgages? Student loans???
So, when I say I am not worried about CV-19 what I am saying is I am not concerned with the health aspect. Viruses come and go. We have medicine and modern technology. We do not live in the middle ages, thank God.
As it has historically occurred with these types of viruses, they affect the frail, those with compromised immune systems, the elderly, just like the flu, pneumonia, even sometimes the common cold if left untreated.
So while some of you are bum rushing supermarkets and wiping out shelves of anything and everything in preparation for this zombie apocalypse, keep in mind that you may be one of the small percentage of “average: Americans that will actually survive and come out on the other side with your jobs, homes, and families intact. Food for thought!
Follow this link to hear a survivor’s story.
In the meantime, thanks for visiting! Remember to like, comment, share your thoughts and or opinions and sign up for email notifications!
Oh! And please wash your hands!
LolaUncorked♥
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Yes. Terrified people and failing institutions are scarier than viruses…