Opinion: Home isolation recommended
We reside in frightening times. It is Day 11 of the Covid 19 social distancing and self-quarantine period, hoping to minimize catching or spreading the virus. In my wildest imagination, I never envisioned a time when the United States of America would be brought to a near standstill by a viral pandemic. This scenario, like many other major calamities, happens on television, somewhere else, certainly to someone else, not to us, not to me.
President Donald J. Trump is doing his best to respond to the emergency amid criticism he isn’t doing enough or he isn’t doing it right. Additionally, he took too long to respond, should have seen this coming, etc., etc., ad nauseam.
He offers hope the quarantine might be lifted by Easter Sunday. At a time when people of faith need it most, church services are curtailed or canceled altogether. Virtual worship services will be available on the Internet.
Locally the price for a gallon of gas has drastically dropped to near $2.50 per gallon. The irony, of course, is that now that it is cheaper to buy gasoline, we aren’t supposed to go anywhere.
The president has proposed an economic stimulus package to benefit the American people who are unable to go to work. The implementation of a plan was being held up as the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives tried to hijack the bill for its own vision of social engineering.
At the same time they are berating POTUS and refuse to adopt or even discuss the package proposed by the Republican-controlled Senate working with Senate Democrats.
The legend of Nero and his fiddle are a natural idiom for this situation.
Several of the political talking heads on YouTube say the 1,400-plus page bill introduced by Speaker of the House, Trump’s old nemesis, is Nancy Pat, the last hurrah for the representatives who know they have little chance of re-election.
Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former chief of staff counsels lawmakers, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And, what I mean by that is it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before,” according to Google.
In the meantime, the American people living paycheck to paycheck, are now facing, not only financial ruin, but in some cases starvation. Is it any wonder people who have financial reserves are in a panic buying supplies, groceries and other items so they may stay at home living in fear of contracting the dreaded Coronavirus?
A possible treatment comprised of an anti-malaria drug administered in tandem with an antibiotic shows promise. Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin commonly known as Plaquenil and a Z Pak have been effective in some cases.
It might work, it might not, President Trump said. It is worth a try and he has a good feeling about the treatment.
Dr. Anthony Stephen Fauci, the American immunologist who serves as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. He said at one of the daily briefings that the cases in question where this drug regime has been effective are anecdotal and not a controlled clinical trial.
It is frightening but it provides hope that drugs already available may be able to fight the disease while the scientists are trying to develop a vaccine.
The details of the stimulus package being bandied about would send each American $1,000 or more. It is telling people to just hang on and the Calvary is just over the horizon and on its way to help. It will be cruel if the plans never make it out of committee. There are probably 50 or more reasons why the president can’t adopt the stimulus package with an executive order. For a man who spent his previous life doing what he wanted to, this limitation must frustrate him to no end.
Dangling these proposed checks in front of the public reminds me of stories I’ve heard of how social workers advised welfare recipients that if their deadbeat former partners would pay their fair share the money to raise their children would be there. Even though the ability to get money from such people can be a long, often unsuccessful process.
As we said in my flower power days, don’t keep the faith, baby, spread it around.
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Long days and pleasant nights, have a good weekend.
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Readers may contact Tami Jo Nix by emailing tamijonix@gmail.com or following @TamiJoNix on Twitter.
