Covid has literally turned our world upside down. The vicious disease has the entire world on edge. I find it hard to believe that everything is so out of control. And yet, there are so many Americans that are resisting authoritative demands to be more careful about how they live their lives during these times.

I spent time in Florida during the pandemic. While walking along the boardwalk in Miami, I witnessed a sinful attitude among so many fellow Americans. I estimate that over 80% of the of individuals walking, running, riding bicycles and parents strolling with young ones were not wearing masks. What a travesty. How could so many be so self-centered and uncaring for their neighbors?

One sick person in a small group can easily infect hundreds and even thousands of people. Relatives and friends of those infected on the boardwalk automatically become targets of this horrible disease.

So many of the clubs along the same route play loud music and several offer happy hour prices to lure in young people. Again, many were unmasked, and they were certainly not distancing. How can you live with yourself when you flagrantly defy orders to cover up and separate? How can you live with the fact that you carelessly made others ill and possibly killed a vulnerable innocent person?

The same holds true for medical experts and politicians who wantonly pass along guesses about the peril of the virus and encourage others to act normal in spite of the presence of the disease? Our leaders and medical experts should be working together, collaborating and giving us accurate and important data. How can we decide what to do with our families? Should the kids go to school or study remotely? Can you contract Covid a second time? Are young people not candidates to parish from the disease? How dangerous is it to fly on commercial airlines? To make good decisions for our families we need accurate assessments.

CEOs and boards of directors of major companies have been forced to make life and death decisions for their employees. It’s not that simple to allow employees to work from home when a business is dependent upon workers selling face to face or assembling products. And what about eateries and grocery stores? These people need to come to work and be exposed to more danger than most.

Our leaders and lawmakers must set priorities, not use the pandemic as a political football. They should be focused on the disease because it, or a stronger related virus, might be capable of wiping out the human race. Really, how can we not take the threat seriously? The disease has ruined our lives for a year to this point. Are we going to let it prevent us from having a normal existence for another year or two? Are we going to take the chance that Covid can kill every one of us?

It’s time all Americans and other countries around the world recognize that we are at war with an enemy that is more powerful than any weapon of mass destruction. Most of our focus should be on wiping out the disease.

You may ask what can we do short-term to protect ourselves? It’s the same old story over and over again. Wear masks, distance, wash your hands thoroughly every time you are near a bathroom and avoid crowds.