Pandemic: For the love of god, please stay home!

I am not sure why a virus ended up being a political issue, but let's be clear - coronavirus does not care who you vote for. In fact, infections are reported in all age groups with the age groups 40-59 having the highest incidence (making up 34.8% of positive cases). Certainly deaths are most common in the oldest age groups, but they are occurring across all ages.

The safest things for you to do is remain socially isolated, wash your hands frequently, wear a mask in public if you have to go out, and practice social distancing (at least 6 feet between you and the next person).

In Arizona, "Since May 17, cases have increased 138% (3,061 to 7,286) while testing has increased by 17% (46,206 to 54,078) providing compelling evidence that increasing case counts largely reflect increased community transmission- not increased testing." -AZPHA Mass gatherings at protests, efforts to re-open the economy, and a general sense of it's over, have permeated the climate in AZ and it is all founded on wishful thinking. Nothing has changed. There is no vaccine.

In St. Johns, AZ one must have a PO Box to receive mail - visiting the post office with a mask we are met with disapproving looks, sighs, the shaking of heads - this is foolish and misguided. Small towns without hospitals should take this seriously. Let's also remember that hospitals are not allowing visitors to protect the health care workers and other patients - tens of thousands of Americans have died in hospitals alone without their loved ones near them over the past few months and many more will meet the same fate.

Our public health agencies should be stepping up. Testing should be followed by contract tracing, education, and quarantine for individuals testing positive. But our leaders are giving up. The state health director (a governor appointee), Dr. Cara Christ, said "we are not going to be able to stop the spread..." when clearly it is possible with proper political will and leadership.

Don't sacrifice your health or the health of your family members for the benefit of oligarchs who care about profit over humanity. The government is supposed to guarantee the right to life - but instead our policymakers are sacrificing the vulnerable, the poor, the elderly and making monetary justifications for it. We must save ourselves in the absence of sound leadership. We have to look to ourselves to protect our families. In this case we protect ourselves by staying home as much as possible, washing hands and surfaces often, and wearing masks when in public. Do that and you have taken as much precaution as you can during these difficult and uncertain times.