I’m Afraid of All the COVID Quitters

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Abstract

bar.</p><h1 id="bfec">At first, it was that one coworker.</h1><p id="087a">The first COVID Quitter I knew never actually accepted the reality of the pandemic in the first place. Back in early March, when things were first starting to get bad, he made broad statements about how sheltering in place would ruin the economy and how the flu kills thousands of people per year, too.</p><p id="02d8">This didn’t get to me, because this is the kind of coworker who is flippant about all rules and restrictions that are placed on him. I kind of rationalized it by thinking “of course this person would have this reaction.”</p><h1 id="b225">Then it was more.</h1><p id="ae3d">As the weeks moved on, my state reopened quickly.</p><p id="1999">Coworkers who are young and who initially spoke out about the dangers of COVID-19 in March began traveling (on airplanes) for work. They may be desensitized by the new cycle, may have felt like they couldn’t say “no” to a request from their employer, or felt that it was OK to fly since there weren’t travel restrictions in place.</p><h1 id="5234">Now it seems like it’s everybody.</h1><p id="f6db">Some coworkers have returned to the office. They have said they’re content to work in an open space with other people and only wear masks when they get up to go to the coffee machine.</p><p id="7

Options

6be">The social invitations keep coming, too. Not for gatherings that are specifically flippant toward COVID-19, but rather for gatherings that are… normal.</p><p id="5b3f">This pandemic is not normal. You may disagree with me, but making the decision not to let COVID-19 impact your life will not cause things to return to normal.</p><p id="ad8a">It’s not normal to have unprecedented numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. It’s not normal to have your mayor announce that there are no longer enough tests to go around, and not normal to prepare convention centers to be makeshift hospitals.</p><p id="dbbf">While driving to get gas for my car this morning, I counted several groups of people walking who weren’t wearing masks and weren’t social distancing. I also saw a brunch restaurant that was packed with people having a normal weekend morning and drinking coffee.</p><p id="10c9">We could all send the COVID Quitters dozens of news articles about how gatherings of people are contributing to the disease transmission. About how entire high school football teams are getting it or how family parties are spreading it like wildfire. About people who have lost a family member to this disease.</p><p id="d9ff">But just like statistics, anecdotes don’t matter to COVID Quitters either.</p></article></body>

The rising number of people who have decided COVID-19 isn’t for them

I live in the United States. As of today, my state’s health department has reported nearly 150,000 cases of COVID-19 and 2,366 fatalities. I’m sure those statistics will be higher when you’re reading this.

The numbers are even higher throughout the U.S. and the world, but the staggering number of cases does not seem to be impactful for people any longer. Neither do the number of deaths, requirements to wear masks, legal restrictions on the number of people allowed to gather or permitted in establishments. People don’t care.

I have heard multiple people say or text something along the lines of “I”m done with COVID. I really am.” and proceed to plan a dinner party or invite a group of friends to a bar.

At first, it was that one coworker.

The first COVID Quitter I knew never actually accepted the reality of the pandemic in the first place. Back in early March, when things were first starting to get bad, he made broad statements about how sheltering in place would ruin the economy and how the flu kills thousands of people per year, too.

This didn’t get to me, because this is the kind of coworker who is flippant about all rules and restrictions that are placed on him. I kind of rationalized it by thinking “of course this person would have this reaction.”

Then it was more.

As the weeks moved on, my state reopened quickly.

Coworkers who are young and who initially spoke out about the dangers of COVID-19 in March began traveling (on airplanes) for work. They may be desensitized by the new cycle, may have felt like they couldn’t say “no” to a request from their employer, or felt that it was OK to fly since there weren’t travel restrictions in place.

Now it seems like it’s everybody.

Some coworkers have returned to the office. They have said they’re content to work in an open space with other people and only wear masks when they get up to go to the coffee machine.

The social invitations keep coming, too. Not for gatherings that are specifically flippant toward COVID-19, but rather for gatherings that are… normal.

This pandemic is not normal. You may disagree with me, but making the decision not to let COVID-19 impact your life will not cause things to return to normal.

It’s not normal to have unprecedented numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. It’s not normal to have your mayor announce that there are no longer enough tests to go around, and not normal to prepare convention centers to be makeshift hospitals.

While driving to get gas for my car this morning, I counted several groups of people walking who weren’t wearing masks and weren’t social distancing. I also saw a brunch restaurant that was packed with people having a normal weekend morning and drinking coffee.

We could all send the COVID Quitters dozens of news articles about how gatherings of people are contributing to the disease transmission. About how entire high school football teams are getting it or how family parties are spreading it like wildfire. About people who have lost a family member to this disease.

But just like statistics, anecdotes don’t matter to COVID Quitters either.