The Next Pandemic Could be Worse
The Covid-19 Pandemic offered us a glimpse into what fighting a pandemic looks like. Two years of pandemic battles across the country took its toll on all of us and in many cases pushed some to their limits.
But the pandemic we endured may be a prelude to something larger and more dangerous. What did we learn in the process of fighting Covid-19, if anything? Not much, if you take a really hard look at what happened. Covid-19 was not the first pandemic this country has faced. In one hundred years the US has battled influenza pandemics, bird flu, and a host of other killer viruses. But none as prolific as Covid-19.
Covid-19 allowed us to look at ourselves in action or in some cases inaction. At the beginning of the pandemic or March of 2020, the population in the United States watched as New York City struggled to understand the true nature of the virus. Thousands died as doctors and hospitals tried unsuccessfully to contain the death tolls. Without treatment, experience, or vaccines, it was impossible to predict how to combat the virulent strain. The majority of Americans took the virus seriously as fear began to take hold and the media focused on the graphic images in hospitals and cities around the world. On March 17, 2020, California was the first state to issue a stay-at-home order. With New York and New Jersey following to contain the deadly virus. By April 2020 the streets were empty nearly everyone wore face masks and there were, of course, looming questions on everyone’s minds. But because the virus had many unknown variables most Americans were inclined to follow the CDC recommendations.
As the pandemic expanded and states began to mandate masks, shut down businesses and enforce compliance, something happened in the United States. Feeling squeezed many began to fight back against the intrusive mandates. Public figures began to question them and the call to action by authorities across the country. Even members of congress were pushing back against the mandates and encouraging Americans to rally against the emergency provisions enacted essentially overnight. Many died listening to these public figures as the virus swept through the country. Skepticism began to take hold even as the virus was escalating around the world. Because we had never experienced a pandemic of this nature many were free to assume that it would not kill them. But that gamble came with a high cost. The pandemic had not brought us together it had created division among several schools of thought. Those who believed, those who did not, and the ones against the fence. Things never got better and very few minds were changed.
Today, most people think the same way they thought in 2021. That’s the worrisome part. Lots of folks did not learn anything from the experience. Many have doubled down on conspiracy theories or popular myths played over and over again on social media. They have taught their children to reject CDC recommendations and be wary of their government. With this mentality how will we fight another pandemic? The answer is we cannot. Covid-19 did more than just create hysteria and take lives. It robbed us of basic elements of our lives like interacting with people or even caring for one another. It made us callous and insensitive as we spent long periods without the human contact we needed to make us better. As a country, we grew apart, and sadly we are not going back to the way things were.
Given everything that has happened, we are not going to do better in the next pandemic. We have set the stage for skepticism and partisan politics instead of science and transparency. Many public figures helped to shape that outlook and none remotely cared about how their corrupt message would hurt efforts to battle the virus, opting instead to pursue their ambitions and thirst for exposure. Sadly an entire generation was exposed to this cycle of madness and rejection of truth is what many have learned. A truth that we will need in the future to combat what may be an even deadlier pandemic. So when you hear about the next pandemic on the news or from a friend what will be your reaction? Hopefully, you will think about the 6.3 million people who lost their lives to Covid-19. Stay tuned…
