If there is anything that we have learned from this current wave of Covid-19, it is that we better be ready for the next one. If Dr. Fauci said that there is no way the coronavirus will be gone by summer, he is probably right – especially if overly anxious states reopen before they are fully prepared. The signs are already there: our friends recently walked through a busy downtown area and found themselves dodging around people because so few were wearing masks.
It’s never-ending what researchers are learning about the nuances of the novel coronavirus. Also, a recent Columbia University study showed that if social distancing in the U.S. had been mandated only a week earlier, the country would have suffered half the number of cases and deaths. To boot, “…if the country had locked down two weeks earlier than it did, it could have prevented 84% of deaths and 82% of cases.”
Sadly, by not being prepared, great damage has been done. But there is always room for hope. Everyone and their mother are making masks. When I see others wearing face coverings, it reminds me to social distance.
And if people just aren’t getting how smart it is to don a personal mask, they might want to know that masks are officially a fashion statement. For those who feel their independence is being taken away, they should think again: in fact, masks “…are the ultimate pro-freedom, pro-life fashion accessory.”
Even I’m getting into it. Jacqueline surprised me with a handful of lightweight cotton masks with fun patterns that I wear on my walks because I won’t have close encounters with people. I reach for my thicker masks when heading out to buy groceries or to run other errands where humans might get too close for comfort. And on my way to the bank yesterday, I did a doubletake as I passed by Maestro, our talented local tailor, who has designed haute couture masks. Come to think of it, I need dressy masks, too.
Knowledge is power. So, there’s no reason we can’t be better prepared for the second wave.
But I’m thinking about wearing a button that says, “Just Wear the Damn Mask!”
