You know when you have a band aid on your arm, or leg, or wherever, and it's time to peel it off? Which way do you prefer - to peel it off slowly and carefully so it hurts a little for longer, or just rip it off so it's one short sharp pain and then it's over?
I rip it off. Almost every time.
And that's what I think we should do with this COVID stuff. Australia has been trying to stop the spread and eliminate it. But that's impossible to do. It's unrealistic to think that we can stop a virus that's (supposedly) very contagious when we can't even stop the common cold.
But people are afraid. I get it. Because all we hear in the news are the horror stories of people dying on ventilators. We almost never hear about the people who test positive and get through the virus on their own at home, with little or no medical intervention. The ones who say it felt like a cold or a flu, and not like they were going to die suffocating.
This is a virus with a 99.7% survival rate. Yes, SURVIVAL. The vast majority of the people who have died from this virus have been over 70 years old and/or had a compromised immune system already. And that's not to say they're not important, or that it's not sad when they die, but logically, of course a virus is more likely to kill people in these circumstances than normal, healthy people. That's just a fact.
And yes, we should do what we can to protect these people - within reason. Washing our hands, keeping our distance if we're unwell, making sure they have the supplies they need to get by without having to go to the shops, sure. Locking down 90% of society just so that the minority are protected? No.
If you're concerned about catching the virus, by all means, stay home and look after your health. Ask for help from friends, family, and community groups if you need it. But don't insist that the rest of the world should put their lives on hold just for you. That's selfish.
Rip off the band aid. Let's get on with life.
I rip it off. Almost every time.
And that's what I think we should do with this COVID stuff. Australia has been trying to stop the spread and eliminate it. But that's impossible to do. It's unrealistic to think that we can stop a virus that's (supposedly) very contagious when we can't even stop the common cold.
But people are afraid. I get it. Because all we hear in the news are the horror stories of people dying on ventilators. We almost never hear about the people who test positive and get through the virus on their own at home, with little or no medical intervention. The ones who say it felt like a cold or a flu, and not like they were going to die suffocating.
This is a virus with a 99.7% survival rate. Yes, SURVIVAL. The vast majority of the people who have died from this virus have been over 70 years old and/or had a compromised immune system already. And that's not to say they're not important, or that it's not sad when they die, but logically, of course a virus is more likely to kill people in these circumstances than normal, healthy people. That's just a fact.
And yes, we should do what we can to protect these people - within reason. Washing our hands, keeping our distance if we're unwell, making sure they have the supplies they need to get by without having to go to the shops, sure. Locking down 90% of society just so that the minority are protected? No.
If you're concerned about catching the virus, by all means, stay home and look after your health. Ask for help from friends, family, and community groups if you need it. But don't insist that the rest of the world should put their lives on hold just for you. That's selfish.
Rip off the band aid. Let's get on with life.
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