COVID Is Not Fake News
We all have opinions. And we’re all entitled to that opinion.
I’m Scott — I’m 63 years old and recently retired. And I’m here to share my opinion of our recent pandemic with any of you that care to hear it.
I’ve seen a lot in my life. I’m a former police officer of twenty years, and I recently left a five-year position as a Forensic Child Interviewer at a Child Abuse Center in Oregon. I’m not full of myself, but I believe that my life experience has qualified me to write and share my opinions — as long as those opinions make sense.
So here we go:
I’m at a loss for words, as to why so many people seem to think that our global pandemic is fake news; a conspiracy theory. I’m not a medical expert — I’m clearly not a doctor or nurse. But I have nurses in my immediate family, and I have friends who are nurses currently working in COVID units. Nurses who are experiencing sickness and death at an alarming rate. And they all say the same thing! People who think this pandemic is a hoax — those who feel it’s politically motivated — well, they need to shadow a COVID nurse for a shift or two and see the true picture.
People are dying at an alarming rate here in the US. And now the world as a whole is experiencing a new wave of this killer, that many medical experts predict will be worse than the first big wave. How I ask you — how can that be politically motivated? How can that be a hoax — fake news? I simply don’t get it, ladies and gentlemen!
The numbers are very clear that this disease is real. And medical experts continue to cite PPE — masking up in public, and social distancing as the single largest preventative that we can do as a nation. Is that a cure-all? Clearly not. But common sense and a thing called science point to its benefits. And yet countless people continue to ignore the warnings of national experts. Turn on any news platform and you’ll be treated with images, videos, and news stories of people standing inches to a few feet apart, without wearing a mask. And I’m sure it’s not a surprise to know that it goes deeper than just the public as a whole. It’s a glaring reality with many in our own government’s administration!
Remember at the start of this article, where I talked about opinion? Here are my thoughts on our current leadership. It’s my opinion that in the face of a national crisis, it’s the role of our President and his cabinet to set the example. It’s their job to listen to the experts — to respect entities like the CDC —and to be a leader who is proactive, and not a leader who has spread misinformation on this disaster from the get-go.
There — I said it. I’m not going to turn this story into an argument of what soon-to-be ex-President Trump has done right — what he has done wrong. But I hope that I make my point when I say that there has been a certain recklessness in the White House, regarding the COVID issue.
As I wrap up my story, I want to touch on the argument that I so often hear from naysayers who like to point out that the flu kills more people than the Coronavirus. I don’t know the actual statistics on that argument, and I don’t want to spread misinformation by quoting numbers. But yes — the flu kills people. Here’s my gripe. The difference as I see it, is that the flu currently has a vaccine that is readily available. COVID does not. And my second gripe? I rather feel that it’s irrelevant whether it kills more people. The fact of the matter is that COVID19 has killed millions, and that alone is enough to give it the massive attention that it deserves.
To all those who are suffering from COVID, or have endured the virus — my heart goes out to you! To the countless doctors, nurses, scientists and healthcare workers in general who dedicate their days and nights to this pandemic — thank you for what you do! For those of you with jobs that are on the front lines — police and fire — EMT’s and paramedics — to those of you who work at gas stations and grocery stores, and have to go to work — thanks so much for being there for all of us! And to those who have lost friends or family members to COVID, I pray for your comfort and healing, and I’m truly sorry for your loss.
If you took time to read my article, I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart. It means more than you know. Let’s all be smart; let’s all be safe — let’s weather this tornado by using common sense and healthy protocols.
Thanks for spending time with me today. Stay well.
