Be Responsible

Fear impacts our immune systems and leaves us more vulnerable to disease. I have stopped watching the news.  The fear mongering happening with the coronavirus is irresponsible and actually contributing to the problem. There are so many things we COULD be doing and are not.  The current hysteria could be teaching us something if we would just pay attention.  

Parents, teach your children to wash their hands often and keep their hands away from their faces.  Teach them to cough and sneeze into a tissue and then to wash their hands afterwards.  

Teachers, let the children visit the restroom immediately following coughing or sneezing or wiping their noses.  They can’t very well wash their hands if you keep them hostage in the classroom. 

Parents, keep your children home when they are symptomatic and fight the school system when you get the warning letter that your child hasn’t met his quota of days attending school.   It’s all a money thing. They aren’t as worried about your child’s progress as they are about the funding they don’t receive when your child is absent.  

There are so many things we can do on a personal level to alleviate our fear and act responsibly to prevent widespread epidemics.  Get enough sleep, eat a healthy, well balanced diet, take vitamin C, create a peaceful environment in our homes.  

And when we’ve done as much as we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones we can vote.  Our current economic and medical environments invite and support the spread of disease. If you don’t have paid sick leave, will you stay home when you are ill or will you go to work anyway in order to be able to buy groceries.  Employers who do not include paid sick leave in the employment contract are irresponsible and contribute to the spread of disease. Vote for those who would support unions and responsible employment. If you can’t afford medical care, will you go to a doctor or will you suck it up and go to work until you are no longer able.  Our medical system guarantees the spread of disease and threatens the lives of our children and all of the children with whom they come in contact. Vote for those who want to bring health care to everyone.  

What we’re doing as a country is evil.  Do your part to ensure your personal health and the health of others and, at this point, I would advocate turning off the news with it’s hysterical fear mongering which only defeats our efforts to ensure a strong and resilient immune system.