That was the cry of Herbert Morrison radio announcer covering the landing of the Hindenburg zeppelin (think of the Goodyear blimp) on May 6, 1937, as it burst into flames over Lakehurst, New Jersey, with 97 people on board.
As I write this blog 203,670 (almost 2100 times the Hindenburg) human beings have died worldwide because of this Covid-19 virus. The US deaths alone number 54,024 (557 times 97).
Oh, the humanity!
Those lost are loved ones
These individuals are mothers, Fathers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives. Some may have been alone in this world at the time they passed but that doesn’t mean they weren’t loved oRr important to someone. We just don’t know who they are. We are all human beings, people whose lives touch other’s lives, many times good ways.
Worried and Frustrated
We all want this pandemic to be over for various reasons, we aren’t working and are worried about not having the money to feed our families or pay our bills. We own businesses that are losing touch with our customers because we aren’t serving their needs. We are parents who are struggling to home school our children and at the same time keep the office work up to date, if we are lucky enough to have work we can do from home.
We are becoming increasingly frustrated with the quarantine measures handed down by the Federal government and our State and then local governments. We want to meet with people face to face, we want to touch people and hug them. We want our old lives back. I’ll bet the families of those 54,024 people in the US wanted to just have the opportunity to tell their loved ones that they loved them one last time. Just to have been able to kiss them goodbye. Oh, the humanity of it all!
We don’t know what we don’t know
If we look at how this all started, you know, one person touched or coughed around another person, why do we think that can’t happen to us? Why do we think we are so invincible we can’t catch it? That we couldn’t possibly be a carrier of the virus with no symptoms. Why do we think we are so right that we are willing to put the lives of others in danger? We are a selfish people when it becomes all about me and my needs and not that of others. Getting a haircut or going to the gym isn’t a life ending need.
When did the potential of infecting someone or being infected ourselves become an “Oh, well,” moment to us?
This is my personal opinion:
Until we have tested many more people to know those infected or who has the virus but is Asymptomatic (not showing symptoms) or has antibodies of the virus, because they had it and didn’t know, will we have a good balance of data to help those in charge be confident of the how the infection rate levels are changing. Even those of us who have been vigilant and worn masks and gloves when we go to the grocery or pharmacy and stay home all other times may not know if we are carriers. We do not know, because we haven’t been tested.
The number tested is so low compared to the number of people in the US that I cannot see how we have any idea of the true number of people infected. I am not sure how many people that will be but certainly more that what we have now and certainly more of those that do not show symptoms.
Do the math, as of 4/17/20: 413,867 tests have been completed (see the CDC site below); divide that by the population of the US 331,002,651and it equals just .00125 of the population.
I personally am not willing to put the life of my neighbors or loved ones at stake just so I can go to the beauty shop, gym, or restaurant to sit and eat. Stay home and Stay safe. Pray for a hedge of protection to be placed around everyone who is working to save those with the virus, those meeting and helping us meet our daily needs, those protecting us at home, and all the unsung heroes. Pray for that hedge of protection around all of us who don’t have symptoms, that we may not be carriers. Pray for the Covid-19 virus to be stopped in its tracks.
I pray for all of you reading this blog to become aware of what is happening to others in this unusual and uncertain time. We must all be concerned for each other, helping where we can. Step outside of yourself and care about how getting what you want might affect others in the future.
We will make it through these times, when we pray and work together.
References:
The United States 2020 population is estimated at 331,002,651 people at mid-year according to UN data. From https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/us-population/
Number of specimens tested for SARS CoV-2 by CDC labs (N= 4,536) and U.S. public health laboratories* (N= 409,331)† – from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/testing-in-us.html