julesannb

It’s not worth anything anymore, but I’ll just add my two cents worth to the discussions about staying at home or going back to work during this p******c. I noticed some snarky and judgmental comments that have been made back and forth about what the best choice is for moving forward. Stay at home longer and possibly be safer for it, or get back to work and restart the tanked economy. This p******c has affected most of us in one way or another and it is not easy for any of us.
If we stay at home longer, what may happen? Some say an even worse economy with more people losing their businesses, their homes and their jobs. Then we could all be starving and out on the street.
If we get back to work and to a normal as possible routine, what may happen? Some say more people will get sick and more people will die. But not even all the politicians, scientists, doctors and other experts can agree about what we should do next.
As individuals, we will have an opinion about what is best. But if even the “experts” can’t agree about what happens next as having a positive or negative affect in the near future, then why would we try to tell others what is best. Let’s just agree to disagree and leave the judging to wh**ever higher power we believe in. It doesn’t cost a single cent to be nice.

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

I don't presume to judge anybody.
Everyone has to do what they think is best for them and their family.
I just hope this thing can end soon as possible for everyone's sake.

Will

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Here, here!

Chuck B

Exactly!

rick_n_wv Loc: Charleston WV

Seems like a good idea. If you are worried stay home and you will be safe. If not don't but use common sense.

ChaplainPlato Loc: Florida

With respect; science and medicine are not eager for things to open at this time. Public Health was once so important to the US that the United States Public Health Service was akin to the VA. The Coast Guard and the Merchant Marine were supported by USPHS as was every county in the United States including territories. There were USPHS hospitals and clinics everywhere. The USPHS grew out of how terrible the effects of the 1918 flu were on the world. It was dismantled by Reagan and hundreds of mentally ill people and others who were managed by the service were turned out to fend for themselves. (it is now an arm of public health research) I tell you this because this illness is not the flu. Even when a v*****e is developed the v*****e will have random effects on the individual taking it. Moving to open things up now, before there has been enough testing and more aggressive testing of the general population (not just the ones who fit into an illness profile) will result in the v***s claiming the weakest among us. We already understand who the weak are. I will not survive it. Anyone with a c*********d i****e s****m will not survive it -- but consider that even moderate drinking compromises your i****e s****m. Eating a lot of sugar compromises your i****e s****m. The liver gets a double whammy if you drink and eat sweets. As benign as sugar and alcohol are in our society, immunity is based on the ability to fend off an aggressor. So to abandon social distancing and wearing protective gear too soon will throw the outcome to nature and nature will run its course. The v***s will rage until we reach Herd Immunity -- and a lot of the heard will be culled. The fact that this is a lung-centric disease makes even those with seasonal allergies acutely vulnerable. Allergies are included on the list of immunoc*********d conditions. This is the classic rock and a hard place -- but please don't discount what science and medicine are saying. Do wh**ever you feel you must. Get information from varied sources. Politicians are i***ts and all of them are c*********d, no matter what they may have been before they got in office; to stay in office they have had to mutate. Wear a mask to protect those who may be vulnerable to you since this thing can shed without symptoms. Eat well, and live longer. Blessings and Peace.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

There is certainly validity to both sides of the discussion, but I would just make two points. First, at the current rate, we are almost at the point where the number of lives lost equals that of the VietNam war - sobering thought, isn’t it? Second, if you contract this disease, who do you want treating you in the ER and whose advice are you going to listen to? A politician or a doctor? If the answer is a doctor, why would you not choose their advice now? (which is very clear).

incognito

The reality is quite simple.. Natures way of population control. Death is an unavoidable given that non of us will escape. Might as well get out and work instead of sitting home and worrying about catching it and worrying about paying the bills.

nospambob Loc: Edmond, Oklahoma

We've already surpassed the number k**led in Vietnam.

whfowle Loc: Tampa first, now Albuquerque

When I was just a boy growing up, my parents were poor as dirt. They watched every penny spent and tried to find free or nearly free when possible or just did it themselves. We didn't have health insurance. Back then, I think, most adults had a lot more general sk**ls than anyone today. When we got sick, we either just rode it out, come up with some home remedy or if it was really bad, went to this clinic downtown where a doctor would look at you and either give you a shot for something or prescribe some drug. The cost was never more than a buck or two. I don't know if it was the USPHS or not.

Leefl

You might be singing a different tune if is your head on a pillow in the hospital sucking on a ventilator. Then again, you won't be singing anything if you're on a ventilator. The whole purpose of social distancing is to slow down the crush on the hospital system and to keep it viable not only for C***D19 victims but for others who need hospital services. Without social distancing, the experts predict the v***s will come back even stronger in the fall which come on top of the normal flu season, could be disastrous for all of us. We all need to resist the urge to be selfish and to listen to the experts who know more than we do.

Tdearing Loc: Rockport, TX

I agree with the author, there is no point to resorting to ugly ad hominem attacks against other hogs - which unfortunately happens with more frequency than might be expected from an educated group of people. We don't live in a perfect world where everyone has the same luxuries to make critical choices, I'm blessed to not be hugely impacted by the crisis, but understand I'm likely in the minority.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

"thinking" and "opinions" don't replace facts. One guy thinks getting back to work is best because he runs a huge company, and he wants to keep making millions. Another guy thinks putting crowds of untested people in close proximity will spread the v***s and k**l more people because that's what his medical training has taught him.

I think every supermarket in the country is looking for workers, so there are plenty of jobs available. Maybe the conditions and salary aren't what people want, but jobs are available.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Really?! Then let's shut down all the hospitals and let all those weaklings die. If you want an income, get a job at a supermarket. They are desperate for workers.

Runninglate Loc: Saint Cloud, Florida

Could not have been said any better. Hopefully those with common sense will be the ones surviving the culling process.