Life since March has been much more different from any one of us could have ever expected. As you may or may not remember, I was in Africa, from March 2-14. Within a week of getting back home, national borders began to shut down all around the globe. For countries with substandard healthcare, the best solution was a complete lockdown of the entire country. Limiting the movement of people was the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19. Four months later, we don’t know who or what to trust. Is COVID as bad as some say, or is this a political ploy to take down a sitting president? There does not seem to be any middleground with this president, either you love him or you hate him. Where COVID is concerned, it has been a worldwide learning affair. I would like to think that everyone is on the same page, focused on preventing the spread at all costs, but I don’t know. I listen to our young children pray every week for God to take this virus away, and I know that He hears their prayers. I don’t know if this article will contain a lot of new information, but I think that we are learning some helpful things.
In the president’s latest briefing, he stated things that we have heard since this virus became a thing: Wash your hands every chance you get, wear a face mask, and social distance wherever and whenever possible. There are mixed reviews on the effectiveness of a mask, but without more definitive information of effective or not, then we must err to the effective. Whatever the case, I am thankfully not seeing people getting sick in my circles. We cannot let our guards down, but we must also notice the positives of the virus not showing itself in our midst. Yes, there are places where the virus seems to be spiking. We need to figure that out, and make the necessary changes in those specific places. Until a vaccine is developed, we will deal with this virus’s ups, downs, and all arounds.
As stated previously, we must count it a positive when people are not getting sick with this virus. I have an older friend who has been in three different hospitals/rehab facilities, in-patient, for about the past three months. He is extremely high risk, but thankfully he has tested negative through the transition to each facility. You would think that if anyone would get this that he would, but thankfully, he has not. Even before this long hospitalization, he was at the VA on multiple occasions, for appointments and a surgery. There have been other situations where people have been in close proximity, with and without mask, and no new cases of COVID have occurred. Again, I don’t want to see a new case anywhere, but we need to see the positives, or in medical terms, the pertinent negative, of these situations.
Using common sense is vital to preventing the spread. We were supposed to have a training class tonight, but the instructor called, stating that he had been exposed to a COVID-positive patient, and we needed to put the class off for about two to three weeks. The important thing is when you are sick, you need to stay home and get well. It may require that you get tested for COVID. I am skeptical about the testing. I have heard many different stories about test results that really concern me. I get the impression that there are some that want this virus to go on, for months to come. Might it be a political ploy for this virus to affect the November presidential election?
Our family went on a vacation in June. Things were different, but a great vacation, nonetheless. The mask mandate changed while we were there, requiring them on sidewalks and in parking lots. Again, I saw people wearing masks and others that chose not to. We chose not to dine in at any restaurants, but many people did. Families were all over the beach. In fact, it was difficult to find a parking place at the public beach access that we normally used. Though I have not watched the statistics closely there since coming home, but we have not had any problems. A day after we got home, parts of our family left for West Virginia, meeting up with other family from Georgia. Again, they just hit the two-week point since getting home, with no new illnesses. Again, we must see the pertinent negatives in these circumstances.
It is my hope that the people who are elected to make decisions on behalf of the people are doing just that. My trust in our state and federal government is not very high at all. Corruption, godless legislation, and misinformation has caused me to doubt that government is doing what they were elected to do. In all of my cynicism, I acknowledge that God ordained government, and that He is in control of all things. It is truly my hope that the cream of the medical experts will rise to the top and stand on the truth. May this virus not be a tool of pharmaceuticals seeking to get rich as well as rich people getting richer. If a regiment of medications work well, then all doctors that deal with COVID patients should know this and prescribe this. Many doctors had gotten to the point that they were unwilling to prescribe antibiotics, until the patient had suffered longer than necessary.
Many people are still fearful of this virus. None of us know when or if things will return to normal or for the way that things were before this virus. I sat with a group of people today, with the mindset of how will we do this? Let’s apply this question to this virus: How do we move ahead? Are there risks that we should take? Are there risks that we shouldn’t take? I have faith in God, and I have faith in the people that God created. We need to move forward, whatever that means or looks like. My prayer is like our children’s prayer, “Lord, take this virus away.” Stay safe and well as we all move about the metaphorical cabin.
