Despite detractors' stances, COVID really is a serious disease

There are a handful of those who have taken exception to my writing about the continuing danger that COVID-19 represents. To the minds of these people, all is back to normal. So they feel empowered.

One person wrote in the online comments to my column, “The words Trump and Covid are like little Willy’s kryptonite.”

Another person responded to the email address at the end of my column, “Lol dude you are such a clown…..COVID is and has been over….and some of us have lived normally the entire time with no problems. But hey this is America….you are free to go around looking like a r—– with your mask on.”

Still another wrote in the online comments, “Bill, please stop spreading misinformation. The irrational fear of Covid that you cling to sad [sic], I couldn’t imagine living life in fear of something that you have little control over and is little more (or less) then [sic] the flu at this point. You are obviously not a serious person or you simply can’t evaluate data and risk.”

Previously:Being normal is dangerous, especially when it comes to COVID-19

Well, I do admit that the former president is not my flavor of ice cream. I am not alone in that assessment as Donald Trump lost the last election by a substantial amount. Precisely 7,059,547 votes. While Biden earned 81,282,916 votes, Trump got only 74,223,369. Any election where the winner receives 51.3%, and the loser 46.9% is not a close election.

To top it off, criminal charges are being considered against Trump by the U.S. Department of Justice and law enforcement in Georgia and New York, and so it becomes that much more important for us not to be lulled to sleep by Trump’s exaggerations, mistruths and lies.

I would rather look uncomfortable than to contract the disease only to spread it to you, others or my own family. You see, how I look is secondary to my taking whatever steps are helpful to keep my immune deficient daughter safe and disease free. Perhaps someday you might reserve your judgment and understand how one looks is secondary to the health and safety of your loved ones.

And to the commenter who’s thought that COVID is little more (or less) than the flu at this point is dead wrong. I have lost a number of dear friends to COVID.

Here is some information for you to evaluate. It comes from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization as well as national, state and local government health departments.

You can study the data yourself at this web site:https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/09/01/816707182/map-tracking-the-spread-of-the-coronavirus-in-the-u-s

Another source of information for you is located at this web site:https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_select_42

You might discover this recap to be helpful.

Across the United States — based on the last four weeks — there have been an average of 62,562 new COVID cases EACH AND EVERY DAY. That is about 2 million new cases in the U.S. during the month of December alone.

Across Pennsylvania — based on the last four weeks — there have been an average of 1,981 new COVID cases each and every day. That is more than 61,000 new cases in Pennsylvania during the month of December alone.

For Pennsylvania, in terms of deaths, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that deaths attributed to COVID have fallen since a death spike during January of 2022. The bad news is that the number of deaths have risen again in Pennsylvania during December, to 505. In July, COVID deaths stood at 463.

Of course the numbers do not count those suffering from long COVID or have lingering COVID viruses in their systems that can raise havoc down the road.

I do not pretend to be a doctor, nor do I offer medical advice. But I can read, and I take seriously information provided by the CDC. Here is what it recommends to protect yourself from COVID:

“Stay at least 6 feet away from people outside your home. Stay away from people who are sick. Wash your hands often. Wash your hands with soap and water. Wash your hands for 20 seconds. Sing the happy birthday song twice while washing your hands. Use hand sanitizer if that is all you have. Rub the hand sanitizer all over your hands. Rub your hands until they feel dry. Washing your hands with soap and water is best. Stay away from crowds. Stay away from inside places with lots of people. Stay away from people if you are sick. Wear a mask to protect everyone. The mask must cover your nose. The mask must cover your mouth. The mask must fit under your chin. The mask must be snug on your face. Make sure breathing is easy. Masks may feel different. Practice wearing a mask. Practice will help you get used to wearing a mask.”

After all is said and done, isn’t COVID just another flu like sickness? No. While COVID and the flu are both viral infections that spread through respiratory droplets, COVID is far more deadly than the flu.

Johns Hopkins University reports that COVID is “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).” On the other hand, flu is caused by the influenza virus. That makes COVID more contagious and unlike flu, can cause severe complications, including affecting taste and smell, causing blood clots, multisystem inflammatory syndrome, and long-term symptoms that continue after the actual infection. (This is called “long COVID.”) Also deaths from COVID are up to 20 times greater than those from flu.

Pushing back does nothing to make COVID disappear. We must work together to eradicate this disease by knowing the facts, practicing CDC recommended activities, wearing a mask in gatherings, washing hands regularly, being vaccinated then boosted, and avoiding disease-spreading situations like they are the plague.

Because they are.

Bill Gindlesperger is a central Pennsylvanian, Dickinson College graduate, Pennsylvania System Of Higher Education (PASSHE) Governor, Shippensburg University Trustee, and Chairman of eLynxx Solutions. eLynxx software coordinates and drives communication, specifying, approval, procurement or production, reporting and activities necessary to obtaining direct mail, marketing materials, promo and all other printing. He is a board member, campaign advisor, successful entrepreneur, published author and commentator. He can be reached at Bill.Gindlesperger@eLynxx.com.

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