A lot of people, including yours truly, were shocked to see crowded beaches and restaurants once the various state, county, and city lockdowns were lifted. Why in the world would people risk being exposed to the coronavirus and not employ social distancing and face masks? The more you think about it, however, perhaps the general public is more than just a little confused. Consider these contradictory tidbits from learned scientists who have appeared in the news more than once:
- Face masks don’t protect anyone and may even harm the person wearing one by causing the person to recycle his or her own germs.
- Everyone should be forced to wear face masks because even if they don’t stop the spread of the virus they have to provide some measure of prevention.
- The only way to prevent the spread of this virus is to engage in social distancing whenever possible; keep at least six feet away from everyone.
- Infected droplets from a human being can easily be carried twelve or more feet and if there is a stiff breeze a much greater distance so social distancing of six feet won’t make much of a difference.
- Don’t bother wiping off packages you bring home from stores because if the virus was ever on them it will be long gone by the time you arrive home.
- The virus was found on cruise ship surfaces up to seventeen days after the ships’ passengers disembarked.
- Lockdowns are the only way to fight the spread of this virus and they should be maintained until the virus is stopped cold.
- Lockdowns cause more deaths than the virus because people sick with other illnesses stay home when they should be seeking medical assistance.
- Heavily populated areas like New York City don’t have enough hospital beds to tend to those who contract COVID-19.
- The Navy ship that docked in New York Harbor to provide additional hospital beds treated few patients and left the harbor a few short weeks after its arrival for lack of patients in need of hospital beds.
- A vaccine should be developed by the end of 2020 and that will be the beginning of the end for this pandemic.
- It is unlikely that an effective vaccine can be developed before sometime in 2021 and that is not a certainty by any means.
After reading and listening to statements like these for weeks and even months, it is no wonder that the population of our country throws up their collective hands and gives up trying to understand exactly where things stand with this virus and the resulting crisis. So, what do we do when we can’t understand something? We do what our instincts tell us to do and that generally means returning to our normal activities until we find a better way to act.
Pass me the sunscreen please!