Posted by:
Nightingale
(
)
Date: October 24, 2020 03:40PM
85,085 new cases of COVID-19 in a single day in the US of A (yesterday).
Here in BC, Canada, our new case count yesterday was 223 in the province, many more than our numbers a few weeks ago. Even with such a relatively small-seeming increase, we are concerned due to the highly contagious nature of the virus. Those 223 can unknowingly infect several more people each and so on and so on until you have a major outbreak.
Our public health officer has stated that the most common activities causing spread are weddings, funerals and celebrations of life, where up to 50 attend (the maximum recommended). Sometimes the gatherings are including even more than 50. Even with masks and distancing protocols, if adopted, the infection is spreading throughout attendees. In a neighbouring province, at a recent wedding that had 63 guests, over 50 contracted the virus. Who would want their biggest most special day to be overshadowed by the memory of family members and guests being sickened, and even dying, due to the invisible, lurking omnipresent virus?
I just heard this morning that over 30 local firefighters are dealing with having been potentially exposed recently due to inadvertent contact with an infected firefighter at a hockey game they participated in. All have to isolate and likely some in their families as well as other co-workers. What anxiety and loss to the community, not to mention their loved ones, as some of them, at least, are out of action for a couple of weeks now. When I get feeling so very tired of the restrictions and cautions and care we have to take in our every dealing these days, I think of young, active, healthy, strong, vital folks like cops and firefighters being struck down by the virus and it reminds me to be vigilant and patient because if they are susceptible, so too are we all. And the outcome for many of us may be worse than we could possibly imagine.
To me, it's a mathematical thing. Perhaps people who don't believe in some aspects of the cautions being recommended by medical experts can get behind the numbers game. The more people crammed together in tight spaces without masks or distancing (or even with masks if distancing is not possible - masks don't bestow magical powers but are only one potential preventive measure among others that should be taken) then the more potential for spread there is. It has been estimated that each person with COVID can potentially infect up to at least 3 others. So if there are 10 asymptomatic carriers of COVID in one gathering of 100 people the possibility is that they can infect 30 or more people at that gathering. Those 30 go out and spread the virus to 90 others, and so on. That is what they mean by exponential growth. Soon after, if this pattern continues, you can reach the point where the contagion will be difficult to contain. That is why, at least here in BC, the public health folks are so concerned and daily give reminders to keep the numbers low so we can contain the spread. This is partly to ensure hospitals can cope with demand for beds, especially in ICU, but also, obviously, to try and keep as many people as possible from contracting CV in the first place.
It makes perfect sense to me. I don't get why people balk at following public health guidance. Sure, I miss going to church if/when I wish to, and definitely miss visiting friends and family. I don't like that even doing basic necessity shopping feels fraught with potential danger. It's anxiety provoking and fatiguing. But we're in the position of having to mark time, staying as safe as possible by simple measures (masking, distancing, hygiene), until a vaccine is developed and produced and available. At least there are steps we can take to hopefully keep ourselves safe and that gives us a large degree of control, which is a calming thought. It would be worse if we were just total sitting ducks, prey to a merciless contagion against which we had no defence.
I don't see it as a clamp-down on religious liberty. And I don't see that banning large gatherings is infringing on religious rights, as that ban applies to all large gatherings, not just religious meetings. (With the obvious exception, it seems of some political events).
The largest problem that exists, it seems, is people not trusting science. Funny how that comes full circle, with the head-butting that exists already in many quarters between science and religion.
It's generally recognized (is it not?) that personal liberty stops when it comes to the greater good in societies. You do have the freedom to worship as you will, at least in democracies. However, not at the expense of spreading a deadly virus to the general community.
I do not understand why that is so difficult for many to comprehend. Nobody's "freedom", religious or otherwise, supercedes the fact that the larger community good must be paramount.
Sure, you can attend a packed church service to gratify your spiritual need, if such is the source of gratification for you. But how is that acceding to the greater good if you end up infecting others because you're carrying the virus for which there is no known cure or vaccine at present? Isn't religion supposed to be about loving one another? Isn't the second great commandment: Love your neighbour as yourself? Would you give yourself COVID if you could avoid it? Likely not. So why would you take a chance on spreading it to a "neighbour" (anyone who unknowingly crosses your path while you are a potential spreader)?
Not. Very. Loving.
It is eminently possible to worship one's god without grouping together and chancing transmitting pathogens to each other and thereby to others who are more closely following guidelines and doing their best to continue living virus-free, protecting themselves, their loved ones and those in their community.
The world is not always all about one's individual rights. In times of trouble, we need to come together and look out for each other. Not beef about upholding our supposed "rights". We do not have the right to harm others. That's pretty basic. And it's not very religiously admirable to constantly insist otherwise.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2020 03:48PM by Nightingale.