[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Choro&Swing

My girlfriend’s parents three hours south of The Villages, ages 91 and 85, have been in the hospital fighting this virus for 17 days. Her dad is doing better and may be transferred to a rehab hospital today so he can learn to walk again. Her mother is sinking. I don’t think she is going to make it.

Yes, people die of the flu, often in the hospital, but not usually after long struggles like this to stay alive. They claim they stayed away from other people and wore masks and gloves. But they went to the barber shop and the beauty parlor and the nail salon, though there were precautions. The mom went shopping. She wore rubber gloves, then took them off for reuse, pulling on the possibly contaminated fingertips. They went out to dinner a couple times. They had a couple “safe” couples over. Two of those safe men now have the virus. The dad sat head to head with one guy who came over explaining something. No mask, but he was safe. The mom gave a big hug to the neighbors across the street, one of whom is on chemotherapy right now. So now he has it. Or did he give it to them? Who knows.

You are right that for most of us, it is no worse than a cold or the flu. You are right that the number who are in the hospital is perhaps overblown. But when the people who treat these sick people and give them rides and take their money at cash registers and do their nails for a living are at much higher risk of illness or even death, it should be sobering. If I were a nurse or a doctor, I would be seriously scared. If I were still teaching, as I was a few months ago, I would be very nervous.

I wish there were, say, a special color of shirt or hat that people could wear that symbolizes that the wearer doesn’t believe in all this and is making no attempt to avoid this sickness. Then those of us who are nervous could just quietly keep our distance.

Very well explained. And thank you for your service - teaching!