Yeah, we’re done with COVID, but COVID isn’t done with us. Not by a long shot. And it’s going to get worse.
The number of COVID cases in Ohio continues to rise at an alarming pace. The state reported 1,286 cases for a one-week period ending July 6. By August 24, the one-week total increased by nearly 123% to 5,361. That week, 111 people were hospitalized, two were admitted to the ICU, and 16 died.
Across the country, COVID hospitalizations increased nearly 20%, to 15,067, and deaths by 21% in the week ending August 19, the latest available data from the CDC, which only lists an aggregate number of deaths since the pandemic began (about 1.1M).
There’s also questions about whether the COVID shots coming this month will be effective against new strains like Eris since the vaccines were meant to target different strains.
Thankfully, COVID numbers remain small, but some companies believe they must take preemptive measures and reinstitute mask mandates. Hospitals in California and New York now require visitors to wear masks. One university in Georgia will require masks for two weeks as the state’s COVID cases climb.
We’re already hearing a repeat of the “don’t tread on me” and “you can’t make me” screams prominent during the height of the pandemic. Remember the protests? The ugliness when people attacked public health officials trying to act in our best interests? The nasty exchanges between family members?
Since COVID isn’t going anywhere, maybe society can learn from 2020 and flip the script.
How about we simply respect each other’s decision?
Pretty simple, right? You respect me, I respect you, and we stop looking at each other and going, “You’re stupid.”
Those who don’t want to wear a mask, ever, for any reason, demand that society respect their decision. They can decide what’s best for them.
OK. That makes sense. But that means the opposite should be true. Let’s all respect the decisions that businesses, et al., make that’s in their best interest. If a local doctor’s office mandates masks — and it seems like we’re headed that way -— respect the decision as you demand to be respected for yours.
Of course, it’s not that easy because emotions get the best of us. People who are anti-mask will feel discriminated against if facilities demand they wear a mask to enter.
Guess what? There are plenty of places you can choose to do business with. Choose to go to a place with no mandate. Respect the decision.
We’re all so over the mask debate, but since COVID won’t leave us alone, here we are. Where did insults and threats get us last time? That behavior in no way helped the country get through a terrible time.
It’s behavior we should be ashamed of. Here in Ohio, one of our elected representatives directed an anti-Semitic slur at former Ohio Department of Health director Amy Acton, who is Jewish. Armed protestors tried to burst onto the floor of the Michigan statehouse during a debate, and at least one senator wore a bulletproof vest.
Those hideous examples pale in comparison to this: One in four Americans said it’s justifiable to harass or threaten public health officials because of the decisions they made during COVID, according to a study that included researchers from John Hopkins University.
What is wrong with people? Think whatever you want, but disagreeing doesn’t mean it’s OK to harass and threaten someone.
Somehow, we need to try to get back to a simple concept that’s not so simple.
Respect each other’s decisions and move on.
Ray Marcano’s column appears on these pages every Sunday. He can be reached at raymarcanoddn@gmail.com.
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