Worried sick

   I don’t get it. 

   None of this pandemic business makes sense anymore.  And for someone like me, who doesn’t want to end up in the hospital in my situation, this is more than a weird or funny mix-up.  This is life or sometimes death – for us all, not just me. 

   On the one hand, everything is opening up, with business going back to as usual or close to as usual, even here in California, which had especially strict shelter-in-place rules, or in New York, which had very high infection and death rates before its own very strict shelter-in-place order.  There are stories about people eating at restaurants, movie theaters opening and all that. 

   Whether or not this makes sense and social distancing, disinfecting, mask-wearing, etc, is followed – will it be, really? – this is all about money, getting the economy going again.  But there is also talk of kids going back to school in a couple months.  Really?  Perhaps college students and maybe high school students will sit six feet apart, but will first and second graders?  And won’t they fiddle with their masks all day? 

   On the other hand, it is said, sometimes in headlines but usually buried in stories, that there will be another wave of the coronavirus, in the next month, in the Fall, and that it will be worse. 

   You think?  Especially with people eating in restaurants and whatnot.  What’s more, I have seen medical experts interviewed saying that children shouldn’t, can’t, go back to school until there’s a vaccine – next year at the earliest. But that’s not talked about.  It’s too hard. 

   And then there was the police murder of George Floyd the subsequent civil unrest, with thousands of folks protesting, passionate and close to each other.  Things are better now that the protests are pretty much peaceful, without all the jostling and close, dangerous encounters to say the least, and perhaps most folks are wearing masks (the ones that say “I can’t breathe” are especially ingenious), but forget about social distancing. This is a big concern, even though the protests, yes, have lead to some remarkable changes – overhauling of a few police departments, vows to or talk of implement real police reform – that will hopefully be sweeping and lasting (I’d hate to think that this massive – the largest ever? – and dangerous civil rights uprising is for naught).  

   As one friend said when all the protesting began and especially when there was rioting and looting, the virus is gone.  Not only in the way people were acting but also in the news. 

   There are already more COVID-19 cases, at least here in Los Angeles County.  Does this mean there will be shut-down?  I don’t know.  I really don’t know anymore.  You’d think things will slow or shut down if cases rise, but it seems that making money, getting the economy going, is all-important. 

   But should there be an economy – can there be an economy – when so many people are getting sick, when so many are dying?    

   You see what I mean?  I don’t get it, and, what’s worse, I don’t know if it’s safe, or if I’m safe, anymore.