The scourge of humanity

I write this post while simultaneously overhearing my 14-year-old daughter's video for remote school health class about the ill effects of drinking alcohol, and reading a news report that our County Commissioners continue to allow bars to remain open during this escalating pandemic, even though our public schools are struggling to keep staffing levels optimal for both in-person and remote learning.

Our priorities are turned upside down. 

From this post:

New Johnson County health order draws mixed reactions | Coronavirus | kctv5.com

Part of the new order in Johnson County requires restaurants and bars to close at midnight instead of 2 a.m...

“I think it sounds like it’s an attempt to do something without really doing anything. To be honest,” Dr. Larson said.

“While I applaud the fact that something is being done, I think we need to go further,” Dr. Larson said. “A gathering of 49 is just as dangerous as a gathering of 51. Especially if it’s inside. So I think it’s an attempt to do something without angering the base of people who are adamant about not doing it.”

“I think that the medical community would be all in agreement that we need to do what we can to stop the spread of the disease. Obviously nobody wants to see an entire lockdown, but we also understand that we need to do what’s right, even if it’s hard,” he said.

If I were in charge, we would do what's right, even if it's hard. 

• We would close everything except essential services for our community as a whole.
• We would keep open schools, police, fire, and other essential public service departments, public libraries, gas stations, and grocery stores until we get control of this novel coronavirus. 
• Everyone else in the community would be furloughed and receive unemployment insurance. 
• If former bar, restaurant, and retail staff preferred to work instead of staying at home, they could be on a team directed by County Health that focuses on a coordinated home delivery system for food, medicine, and other essentials that would be provided to everyone in our community.
• Workers who are not on unemployment would receive the first batch of vaccine for free.
• Once we have more vaccine available, everyone would receive it for free. 
• Once we have eradicated the coronavirus, bars, restaurants, and retail stores could open again, and workers could get off of unemployment.

This puts the priority on education, basic needs, and the community as a whole.

Instead, our County Commissioners prioritize profit over people. They give in to adults who whine about the inconvenience of not being able to drink wine with their friends in a bar as scientists, parents, and educators soberly face reality. My daughter learns about the dangers of alcoholism in remote school at home, unable to socialize with her peers or experience high school life in-person, while selfish adults gather at bars to drink and socialize with their peers. The scourge of humanity is not the disease itself, but our inability to unite and fight against it.