It’s becoming apparent that young Americans will ultimately decide what direction the Covid-19 pandemic will take prospectively. This group is abandoning isolating and masking more often as each day passes.
After spending time in New York, Colorado and Florida during the past several months, I can attest to many unsafe actions by the youngest among us. Is it the belief that they will live forever that drives them to take unnecessary risks? Or are they aware of the statistics that indicate young people who contract the deadly virus do not die from it, unless they have an existing condition?
The problem with these perspectives is that many can pass on the deadly bug to others that are vulnerable. Older people, including ones they love, such as mothers fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers can and have been dying in increasing numbers. Who is responsible for the actions of these individuals? Why do they care about their own amusement more than the safety of others?
Consider the actions of young people over the past few months. Where do they congregate? It is summertime in every state, so being outdoors and in the sun is a prime activity. Sitting on the beach without distancing or masks could be a deadly past time.
In the evening, drinking increases and so does the risk of spreading disease. Crowding anywhere to savor the music and socialize with others has been a major inspiration for the virus. Wearing a mask while one is trying to meet others is not popular. If a casual meeting results in further intimacies the odds of contagion increases exponentially.
Protesting in large groups is another popular activity of the young. Crowds are a risk. Asymptomatic individuals can create havoc as rabid demonstrators abandon masking and do not keep their distance from others. Emotions are high and spreading ones’ beliefs trumps all other considerations.
In and this day and age, and during the pandemic, living at home with parents and other older relatives is commonplace. If these older people are 50 or 60 years old, statistics indicate that contagion and subsequent death is much greater. Where are the responsible people? I don’t know, but they’re not the ones schmoozing on the beaches and at nightclubs.
If we are ever to beat this disease, young people will have to cooperate. Simply put, we need to avoid going to places where crowds are dense and where conditions are ripe for disease, like transportation centers, subways and elevators. The alternative is that the number of cases will continue to grow and many older people will die.
The other possibility is enforcement led by the police, National Guard and even our standing army. Americans don’t want a deadly disease or armed officials deciding how we live our lives.
Sal,
As usual, you hit the nail on the head.
However, remember when were we kids. We thought we were bullet proof and acted accordingly. We didn’t plan to far beyond the coming weekend. We weren’t any more or any less self centered. Or particularly worried about consequences of our actions. Not too much different from the current crop of young folks. I think it’s up to the older folks who are worried about contracting the virus to take what actions they think appropriate – given things are as they are and will probably remain the same regardless of what we think. Which is probably not too unlike what our parents and grandparents thought. Let’s take ownership of what we do and accept what others are going to do,regardless of what we want them to do. We need to play the cards dealt or get out of the game. I’m staying in.
Kids (5-17) need to get back to school – let the school districts set the terms and tone. College is optional, so, let the pubic decide where, when and under what conditions they want to sign up or not. And College’s need to rethink their mission, delivery and cost model and be alot more considerate of customers And finally, the morons we selected to run our governments need to get their collective heads out of the anal cavity and come up with a coherent work plan that 1) serves the people in trouble making less than $100,000 per annum (most voters) and small businesses which is probably north of 50% to 60%, respectively and puts the country on the path to being all that it can and should be.
Great analysis. Not sure we had to deal with anything like this pandemic. But your comments are spot on. If someone doesn’t take responsibility pretty soon a lot more people are going to get sick and die. Most will be our peers.
I don’t agree with your analysis. The simple
Reason that That young kids today are not respecting the CDC guidelines is because we have no leadership. Instead of a uniform direction Coming from the White House our “leaders” ( and I say that word with
hesitation) are only focused on re-election. He wants People to go Back to work , open up restaurants and improve the economy. Plain and simple. Bars open up and the younger crowd now has a place to go. Close the bars and restaurants and you have to stay home and eat cold pizza . It sucks but it will help us all in the long run. You are Missing the point Again. When you were growing up and your parents said “hey Sal- go do anything You want we are ok with that . “ you probably Would have stayed out all night .
This is no different . Our leaders don’t care
About anything but the economy .And re-election. And they will lie and cheat and bully and misdirect and cause death and destruction along the way to reach Their goal. Hey a few old old people are expendable right.? Grandpa is a nice guy but ….. I like Grandma but……
You can say what you want about Biden but he would have at least Attempted to provide a pathway out of this mess like they
had in some European countries .where the rates Of COVID are Down to a hundred a day not 56,000. Europe
Wont let US citizens into their countries but we are allowed to go to bars ??? This is the problem. No leadership. No direction. This type of leadership leads to chaos. And that’s what Trump wants. That’s what he lives by. Chaos! This is the point you should have made. It’s not the kids fault. Their parents don’t care . Why should they. Trump
Doesn’t care .
Lying to them because they are only focused on this idiots reelection .
Imprisoning Americans is not the answer. I agree with you that Trump is a terrible leader. If you think Biden will be our savior you are in for a rude awakening. All governors and mayors are chasing their tails trying to figure out what to do next. The real disappointment is that our scientists have done little to prepare us for the pandemic. I am not supporting Trump or Biden. I don’t know where that leaves me. Thanks for writing to me. It’s okay if you disagree with me. Lol.