In spite of the concern about the spread of COVID-19, as CBS News reports, many Americans are ignoring all requests for social distancing and have flooded beaches and public places.
Los Angeles County beaches were busy over the weekend as more restrictions were eased in time for the three-day weekend.
Several beaches in the county partially opened parking lots and bike paths. And although beaches were only open for active use, many were seen lounging on the sand without face coverings at Dockweiler State Beach, Hermosa Beach and Zuma Beach.
Officials patrolling the area said they were only monitoring the crowds and issuing warnings.
“This beach is full of selfish people who don’t care about anybody else,” said Bill Hallett, a Hermosa Beach resident. “Nobody’s wearing masks, nobody is following the rules.”
But at both locations, Greg Mills, reporting for CBS Los Angeles, noted that social distancing was visible, and some beach-goers were wearing masks.
Officials expect the beaches to get busier as the weather warms. (source)
The desire to return to “normal life” is natural, as well as is the frustration of many. This should not be ignored.
However, we really do not know a lot about this pandemic and how the disease spreads.
As I have noted, there are only two facts about it which seem to have consistently been stated as true:
-There will be a second wave of it that will likely be deadlier than the first
-There seems to be a relationship between sunlight and the disease, in that sunlight either slows or kills the disease on its own, and those who do contract the disease seem to either recover quickly or experience mild symptoms due to increased vitamin D production.
Anything else so far is suspect until further data emerges.
It should be of great concern to all that the current desire to “reopen” is going to lull masses of people into a false sense of security so that when this illness does come back- most likely in the fall -people may be completely caught off guard.
Remember the toilet paper riots? A repeat of the events from a few months ago will likely make that look good .
Do not be deceived, or tricked into a false sense of security.
Think of this summer like how “the ant” did from the tale of the ant and the grasshopper. This is not a time to rest, but a time to get ready.
One might think of “Memorial Day” as the start of summer, and “Labor Day” as the start of fall.
Today is day 1. How much progress do you think you can make until Labor day?
This summer, challenge yourself. Prepare for the unexpected because just as the grasshopper was taken by surprise by the winter and was not prepared and died, so many may be tricked into a false sense of security, only to find that a very uncomfortable surprise awaits them at the end of the year…