Florida Surrenders to Covid-19
Today, June 6th, marked the 4th consecutive day of 1,000 or more positive coronavirus diagnoses in Florida. We’re about two weeks from Memorial Day, and that’s the turnaround time we should expect from the time of infection to the positive diagnosis.
While we did manage to “bend the curve” we never did stamp the virus out. All of the efforts we put in from March to June merely stabilized the rate of spread. Without those actions, the number of new cases per day would continue to grow until approximately 60 to 70% of the population has been infected.
So why are we declaring victory? The risk today is just as real as it was in March when we tried to bend that curve flatter.
Frankly, the economy (and maybe the fragile American psyche) just can’t handle that much effort for someone else’s benefit. This impatience and self-centered attitude has been multiplied by incompetent leadership that has not been able to leverage our efforts at a higher level with things like:
- Case tracing
- Central quarantine
- Guidance on masks and behavioral modifications
Individuals have been left on there own, largely, with a few extra bucks to offset whatever challenges they face. There is little to no coordinated effort except the effort to restart the economy – and that’s mostly been at the expense of low income workers and people of color who cannot telecommute to their office jobs.
Maybe it’s no wonder that people are mostly going to protest now that they’re finally going back out.