When I go to the store, people are everywhere. No more social distancing, and essentially no mask wearing.
When I go by or to a restaurant, people are sitting at most or all of the seats. No more social distancing, and no more mask wearing by customers waiting, and wait staff in masks is hit or miss.
When I go to the school, masks are recommended but not mandated. Events are happening. No more social distancing, and no more mask wearing.
When I go to a band or DCI competition, it is as crowded as ever. People are sitting right next to one another. Concession stands are open. No more social distancing, and very little of mask wearing.
The game shows are back. The concerts are back. The festivals are back. The reality shows are back. The on-set guests are back. The ball games are back.
Now anyone with a bit of sense knows COVID-19 is not over. We still have the original virus floating around. Plus we have its children, the variants Delta, which is worse than the parent, and now Omicron, which at this time, looks like it is going to be even worse than its older sibling.
The numbers just got to be too big. It is hard to wrap one’s mind around just the U.S. numbers of over 775,000 people dead, and still counting in the short time of COVID-19. Over 48,000,000, 48 million, reported cases, in the U.S. alone. We can process and comprehend hundreds of anything. When it starts getting into the hundreds of thousands, and millions, it is just too much.
What are we to do?
Those of us who worry about the health and welfare of our communities and our nation will continue to do what we have been doing. We’ll wear our masks in most places and definitely at large gatherings. We’ll maintain as much social distance as we can. And, we’ll continue to receive the vaccinations and boosters as they arrive.
Hopefully, what we do will be enough to compensate for those who don’t worry about the health and welfare of our communities.
So far, sadly, and expectedly, that strategy doesn’t seem to be working very well.
I worry about myself getting sick and dying of this nasty disease, and I worry a lot about my loved ones getting sick and dying of this nasty disease?
I’ll ask again, what are we to do?
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 