I studied statistics during a semester back in my college days.
We were drilled with the fact even in those days back in the early ’70s that the media usually sidestepped the truth.
The example commonly used was on three-day weekends such as Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day they would always and still alarm the public to this day about the surge in traffic fatalities for those upcoming holiday weekends, making it seem like these weekends are far worse than other weekends of the year for traffic deaths.
The fact of the matter is the other weekends don’t have three days, therefore statistically the percentage is not as drastic as it’s made out to be.
This brings us to the current pandemic, nearly every day, every hour, the media interrupting our favorite TV shows multiple times on every network both national and local. We hear about how many people have contracted or died of COVID-19. However, we don’t hear the same stats on a daily basis of how many people have contracted or died of the flu, common cold, cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart attacks, AIDS, COPD or STDs. If we did, I don’t believe the country would have shut down.
I find it ironic that so many restaurants have had to shut their doors while our fast-food franchises remained opened. Why are corporate fast-food restaurants deemed essential while ma-and-pa restaurants are forced to stay shut down? There is more going on than just a pandemic. I am not usually a conspiracy theorist. However, I just can’t stop thinking there’s more to this than just meets the eye.
If you wear a mask, at least wear it properly. That goes for politicians and both grocery store and big-box employees, of which I have witnessed first-hand wearing masks in a nonfunctional manner. If you’re going to wear a mask, at least have it covering your nose. There are so many who wear masks the wrong way that I’m perplexed as to why this virus hasn’t taken down many thousands more.
The key to beating COVID is your immune system. The vast majority of people who had it recover. We cannot sanitize the universe. The average pillow has 350,00 bacteria colonies, your phone has 10 times more bacteria than your toilet that your dog drinks out of, then licks you. Your sink has 500,000 bacteria per square inch. We must not let this virus control us.
According to the CDC and Web MD, 200,000 will be hospitalized of the common flu every year and 49,000 Americans will die and yet we have a yearly vaccine for the flu. People will contact COVID-19 for many years to come, however, most will recover, and have mild or no symptoms at all. Any death is tragic, however, the vast majority of all COVID deaths are seniors with underlying health conditions.
Why are we testing people with no symptoms? We do not test people for strep throat with no symptoms?
I believe shortly after the November election, people will no longer be wearing masks and, God-willing, whatever is left of the economy will be salvageable.
It’s ironic that our local Costco sees approximately 2,000 people a day, according to a door counter I spoke to. I was advised that not one employee has contracted the virus. Customers touch hands with the cashiers to receive their change, and yet no spread of the virus from Costco employees to customers. Yet everyone seems afraid for their lives?
We cannot continue to miss weddings, graduations, birthdays, holidays and funerals of loved ones. Schools, tourism, and professional sports need to reopen with caution. We must try and stay healthy and take care of our physical and mental health.
The long-suffering side effects of this virus are not limited to threatened immune systems from staying home and self-quarantining. Many also missed their doctor appointments, elective surgeries, mental-health counsel and family outings. Psychiatrists are now worried people will wind up dying from broken hearts, suicide and neglect of life itself.
The future consequences of the virus may be far worse than the virus itself. Time will tell.
•••
James “Kimo” Rosen lives in Kapa‘a with his dog and blogs as a hobby at dakinetalk.blogspot.com.
