I think everyone can agree that their entire world has been pretty much turned upside down over the course of the last month. It’s hard to process exactly what’s transpiring and the virus’ long-term ramifications. It’s difficult to imagine what the next week out will look like because nothing is certain anymore. This has been a struggle for me to grasp, and I am constantly trying to comprehend how much my life has already changed.
This virus has certainly not impacted me the worst as compared to others. I am staying home and being taken care of by my parents, which is a luxury right now. Sure, I had things I was looking forward to in the spring taken away, but comparatively, it has been an inconvenience at most.
Lately, though, I have felt this impending sense of doom caused by both state and federal governments’ inability to properly address this pandemic. I live in New Jersey, which has recently become a coronavirus hotspot. New Jersey has now seen over 1,000 deaths and over 40,000 positive tests since April 6.
Let me make a disclaimer: both Governor Murphy of New Jersey and Governor Cuomo of New York have handled this pandemic very well. They are some of the only leaders in this country doing the right thing and I have so much respect for their recent leadership.
However, New Jersey is closest to the epicenter of the outbreak, New York City, and it is clear that both of these states are in big trouble. Many New Jersey residents were commuting to New York for work up until a few weeks ago. My dad was one of them, and has luckily stayed healthy since the last time he had to go to work.
As a New York Times article writes, “The disease that has crippled New York City is now enveloping New Jersey’s densely packed cities and suburbs.”
As the state of New York reports thousands of more cases every day, the worst is still yet to come. Both of these states are not expected to peak until later this week or early next week. This means that my area is about to see more deaths than we can anticipate or even comprehend. There is an invisible hurricane heading towards us and the dread I am filled with cannot be described.
That is why it is so infuriating to watch other states not as hard hit yet try to downplay the severity of this and refuse to enact true stay-at-home orders. The governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, resisted putting a shelter-in-place order until this week, and he is still trying to keep the beaches open.
Additionally, he claims to have just found out that the virus can be spread before the carrier shows symptoms, something the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has known and made very clear since January.
I have seen people on Twitter angry that the government is taking away their freedoms by making people stay at home. I have also seen other people saying the spread of the virus is not that bad, where they live so they should be allowed to do what they want. The ignorance and stupidity of these statements are amazing to me.
Just because your tiny town in Georgia or Florida does not have any deaths does not make this virus any less terrible. If you do not think it is that bad, visit a New York City hospital for a night.
Additionally, if you are mad at the government because they are trying to prevent the deaths of millions of people, you are horribly selfish. I do not care if you are not going to die from it; you can still spread it to people who will die. The fact that you have such little empathy and consideration for other people is hard to comprehend.
It has been difficult enough for the nation to slow the spread of the virus since the federal government has been leaving it up to the states to make decisions about what to shut down and keep open. The lack of organization and cohesiveness during this time has literally been deadly. Having certain states refuse to acknowledge the severity and keep things open will only make this worse.
New York and New Jersey are suffering and the rest of the states will be next if they do not pull it together and start listening to the CDC and World Health Organization. Science will save us, but not if your stupidity gets in the way.
Wow. Finally and well said! I am so tired of hearing people talk about their right to congregate and the blatant groups on beaches, at backyard parties and weddings. It is beyond selfish, it’s lethal . Unless you’re blind and deaf, you know what happened as a result of Mardi Gras and Spring Break. I have a friend who is griping about staying in even though he has relatives in his house who are immune compromised. It is so unbelievably selfish that I cant even speak to him anymore. I hope everyone reads your opinion piece because they need to. They also need to vote.
Just heard the fool on the Oval has a financial interest in the drug he keeps promoting . Why am I not surprised.
The cost of keeping things shut is only beginning and will last for 20 years.