Took me awhile to read all that. Plus, I was at the store dealing with that stupidity. One observation I made at the store was echoed in your copy. The corona-preppers were stocking up, side by next in the aisles, and lined up in the checkout lines. Had I known it was that bad I would have picked a better time to go. I should have just left and came back.
So, my thoughts. Both of those are editorials and lack much science. Lots of feeling, though.
Keeping kids home from school will accomplish little. What are they going to do in the next three weeks? Do you really think mom and dad are going to sequester all that energy? Nope. They will go to the movies, to the mall, to Chunky Cheese, and associate with their friends, who associate with adults. The only, ONLY, rational argument I've seen is to "flatten the curve." That is coming from the folks that are rational enough to realize the virus is going to hit everybody, and there isn't a damn thing we can do about it. "Flatten the curve" refers to spreading out the infection rate so we don't overwhelm the medical system. That I understand. But I think some of the measures are a bit over the top, including shutting down schools. There was a lady on the local news lately hysterical that COVID-19 was going to kill her kid and she was going to pull them from school. That was a reaction based on hypersensitive media, and not science.
Also, what happens in three weeks. Will the virus just magically go away? Nope. It will continue to spread.
As far as Italy, ya, sucks over there. They shut down, how did that work for them? 15,113 cases, 1016 deaths (6.7%), with only 1,045 recovered. I'm not going to deny this virus is serious stuff. But, I'm not naïve enough to think it won't impact everybody in spite of our best efforts. Plus, I accept there is probably not much we can do about it.
And, don't start me on the stupidity of testing. What is that going to do? Make you a statistic? Ostracize you from your friends? Give you some sympathy points? Put a huge "C" bullseye on your back? What it is NOT going to do is provide direction to the medical staff on how to cure you. There is no cure. I think the medical pros are very aware of what is going on right now, and symptoms alone will guide treatment. Not some test.
Right now the best way to deal with COVID-19 is at the personal level. Wash your damn hands, avoid public areas if you can, and stay home if you get sick. But, I'm not going to shut my life down for an undefined period of time.
On a brighter note, if you want Corona cerveza, there is plenty on the shelves. Other brands? Not so much.
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