Bill Dawson: Let the young people go to concerts and ball games for now

To The Daily Sun,

As one of the “most “vulnerable,” I have a few observations about the latest virus. First, a question; What constitutes an outbreak? There is no denying that there is a rapid spread of this latest malady. It is showing the developed world that which has been a reality in the rest of the world. The disease is real. Viral and bacterial diseases spread. They are most readily spread where sanitary conditions are poor or non-existent. We are not geared up to combat this challenge. It’s understandable that this is so because we weren’t even aware of its existence a year ago.

Okay, you’re thinking, what insights does he have that will help us in this instance? We, I think, we need to identify how this particular emergency got its start. It began in a large city where hygiene wasn’t particularly great, where the government objective was the production of goods in close quarters. Coupled with the conditions already described you had a government that has a history of abusing its workers as relates to their physical wellbeing.

At the beginning of the outbreak, the government seemed more interested in walling it off rather than good medical practices. They were trying to put Pandora back in the box. Secondly, they were slow in warning the rest of the world about it. Once it jumped the Chinese borders, the pandemic started to grab headlines and panic the rest of the world. Suddenly, fright and suspicion replace reasonable thought on the subject.

Thank heaven we have a few like Dr. Fauci and those who are in charge of the World Health Organization. We need to settle down.

Next, we have to get a grip on containment if possible and mitigation if that fails to work. It is said that older adults with underlying health conditions are the most affected. So where should the most attention be focused? On us old folk, of course.

In the short run, maybe the testing procedures and isolation of those most at risk from the general population should be the focus of our efforts. Research on how the virus multiplies and spreads is a high priority. Further, a plan for how communities can contain it when multiple local cases occur. A vaccine would be a great help but not probable in the immediate future so it can’t be counted on to stop this outbreak.

So you old people, like me, here are some suggestions:

1. Forget even thinking about going on a cruise.

2. Let the young people go the concerts and ball games.

3. If those same youngsters come to visit, make sure they don’t sneeze on you or give you a kiss.

4. Don’t panic as some have, but be aware of what those who in authority are suggesting.

Bill Dawson

Northfield