Do you fear a possible coronavirus pandemic?
Many of us aren't taking the risk of this disease very seriously because it's really only dangerous to the very young, the very old, and the high risk people with underlying conditions. For those of us who fall into one of those categories or have loved ones who do, it's a bit more scary.
In America, there are millions of people who are uninsured and tens of millions who are underinsured. Most of us are working pay check to pay check and cannot afford any time off. For the typical American, you get sick, you go to work anyway. You've got to pull yourself up by your bootstraps to make ends meet and you don't do that by missing work.
This is particularly concerning for those working in food service. The people handling your food, even in the more expensive restaurants, are overworked, underinsured, and underpaid. It is common for them to pop some pills and get cooking regardless of how sick they are. These are the perfect conditions for the spread of disease.
We have a republican controlled government putting people who don't understand or even trust science in charge of containing this potentially devastating plague. They are of course opposed to investment into programs which will improve public health and reduce the risks of diseases such as coronavirus from spreading uncontrollably.
Some don't necessarily see it as a bad thing. It will be a thinning of the heard. It will eliminate weak people who are a drain and a burden to have around. Well, even if you are young and healthy, there is a not so insignificant chance that it can kill you too. And the more you are exposed to it, the more likely it will happen. So even if you are looking at it from a totally selfish perspective with total lack of empathy, when the vulnerable people around you get it, the chances of it spreading to you increase. When the people making your food are too poor to see a doctor and miss work, your chances of infection increase. And yes the odds that it will actually kill you are pretty low but, can you afford to be sick and quarantined for a couple of weeks? If you are like most Americans, coming down with a significant illness can be economic disaster for you.
So, perhaps Med4All, guaranteed sick leave, and an increase in the minimum wage might be a good thing for all of us.
A guy who worked in a pizza shop made a great twitter thread on this topic. I encourage you to check it out.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I'm not particularly worried about it. I'm pretty sure I'll get it. I seem to catch everything that runs through my place of work. My only concern is that I might pass it to one of my medically fragile kiddos before realize I'm sick.
They've put some new steps as a safety precaution at work. That gave me a shock because I was already doing all but one of them and figured everyone else was too. Washing hands and materials is something we shouldn't have to be told to do. People are nasty.
PhoebeCat
Level 7
Mar 9, 2020
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No. I am more concerned with the moral panic set up by media sources and the resulting insanity and unrealistic activity that impressionable people engage in.
Watch out for armed robberies of toilet paper sometime soon in USA.
Geoffrey51
Level 8
Mar 7, 2020
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Dang, you'd have to be having some hell of a #2 emergency to resort to obtaining toilette paper at gun point.
Here is a fine example of local cooperation when in crisis
This virus will mainly kill off the elderly and the working poor, both of which are groups that the ruling class sees as expendable. The working poor can easily replaced by more of the same, so no need for the government to help them with a financial bailout to cover medical costs and paid sick leave. The elderly who die will just mean less Medicare and Soc. Sec. for the rich to subsidize. Thinning of the herd indeed..
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Mar 7, 2020
1
@Bobby9 Suit yourself..
How so? I don't see any untruths in his reply.
@RoboGraham I blocked Bobby9.
He can be a bit rude and I disagree with him on somethings but I think that his comments are worthwhile. If I were the type to block people, he wouldn't be on the list. Far from it
@RoboGraham I just got pissed at him because he dismissed your post as Dem talking points and then labelled my comment a baseless reply. Too much of a dick for me.
Yeah, he is a grumpy old fart. He is also intelligent and somewhat reasonable.
No, actually, I'm not worried about it. For me at least. I'm not at any more risk of it doing me serious harm than the flu is. I take the same precautions I do every winter against the flu (except no vaccine).
1st case in the US was where I lived up till 2 weeks ago - not a huge town. It has a long incubation/contagious phase and chances are I've been exposed already.
So no, I'm not fearing it for me. Every old person I know though, is a bit of a different concern.
1of5
Level 8
Mar 7, 2020
0
You know, when you neglect to get vaccinated, that's probably no big deal for you but it does mean that there is an increased chance that you will contract the virus. Even if it's very mild or even so insignificant that you don't even notice the symptoms, you still carry it. And by carrying it, you increase the odds that some vulnerable person ends up getting it. For them, it is a big deal.
You're probably thinking that the vulnerable people should get the vaccination, and they do. Thing is, even with the vaccination, if a vulnerable person is exposed enough, their immune system can be overrun. You may not care, but just be aware, when you don't get vaccinated, you not only put yourself at risk, you put others at risk.
1of5:
@RoboGraham I do get the flu vaccination. What I meant was there is no vaccination for the current panic inducer, or I'd get one of those too.
I'm not some idiot antivaxxer and do understand herd immunity 
@1of5
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