Covid-19 Panic

Monday I drove down the mountain to do my weekly grocery shopping. As a senior, read high risk person, I was hoping the news outlets were exaggerating about the panic buying they were reporting. They weren't! All of the markets I saw were packed with people, and many of the shelves in the market where I shop were bare. I was surprised at some of the things people were trying to hoard – such as bread and milk, neither of which have long shelf lives (frozen milk?). This made no sense to me at all. Forget about social distancing; the people in that store were shoulder to shoulder, and it took much longer to shop as everyone was trying to find alternatives for all of the things the market no longer had.

So here we had people greatly increasing their chances of getting the virus by coming into close contact with a large number other people, and they did so in an effort to prepare for the eventuality of getting the virus and/or having to shelter in place. It sounds like a self fulfilling prophesy, doesn't it? But no one said panic is reasonable. In this case the fear was so palpable that I thought I must be missing something. I looked up at the hills half expecting to see the four horsemen of the apocalypse ready to launch a cavalry charge, and expecting to hear the gun nuts locking and loading as they prepared to get and protect what they think they and their families will need in order to survive until the final day of judgment. I know that is a hell of a statement for someone who thinks it is unlikely that there is a god. And since I am obviously not qualified to render an opinion on the subject, I will leave it to you to opine about what kind of judgment there will be for people who try to prolong their miserable mortal lives by fighting non-believers and believers alike for resources even when they are sure the end is in sight for everyone.

My own opinion is that our salvation is intertwined with the threat. What I mean is that even though our contact with others is a risk, it is by helping each other that we will be able to minimize the damage caused by the virus. Good people are already reaching out to help friends and neighbors, and they are still taking reasonable precautions, including social distancing. Some leaders are also trying to reason with people and calm people without understating the threat we face. This morning while outlining the steps he is taking and what he thinks we need to do, Governor Cuomo told us not to panic. I really want to thank him for saying that the panic buying is not helping. Unfortunately saying there is enough for everyone if everyone acts reasonably is a bit like an economist telling people not to sell as the stock market is crashing. What the economist is telling people is true, but most people are afraid of getting stuck with worthless stock if they follow the advice not to sell. I should add here that many people are also afraid that we will not find a way to get groceries to people in need of them. So I was pleased this morning when I saw that markets, such as Stater Brothers, were having senior hours to protect high risk people such me from the panicked throng as we shop for necessities. Hopefully we will shop for what we need now rather than simply forming a throng of panicked seniors who are determined to stock up for some possible future need.

Trump is not responsible for the pandemic, but he is a so untrustworthy that he is more of a hindrance than a help. In this regard the pandemic is just revealing once more an ineptitude that is truly astounding given the expertise and resources readily available to any POTUS. We have to put an end to the age of Trump. I don't care what the risks are in going to the polls in November. A mail in ballet would be nice, but I will do anything to vote against Trump!