by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
A few people in rural America, particularly in the Midwest, have taken the coronavirus threat seriously, but many have scoffed at all of the hullabaloo and seen it as mainly being a problem for city dwellers. It was never going to get out in the woods where they lived - and, if it did, well, it wasn't much more than flu anyway.
While infections and deaths in urban areas numbered in the thousands, many counties in midwestern states measured infections (if they had any at all) in the single digits, and deaths were extremely rare. It was a lot of noise and bother about what many saw as essentially nothing.
But all of that is about to change.
The predominantly rural state of Arkansas has had 5,775 confirmed cases of persons testing positive for coronavirus and 115 deaths.
Asa Hutchinson, a Bob Jones "University" graduate and the current governor of Arkansas, was forced to admit this weekend that his state, which he proudly notes never had a stay-at-home order during the height of the crisis, is now facing a second peak in infections as a result of a recent teen swimming pool party. In fact, Arkansas had its highest single day of new cases last week - 455 - and on Saturday it added 163 new cases and two deaths to its tally.
But the new rise in cases is not deterring Governor Hutchinson, a former George W. Bush "Drug Czar" and immigration official - and long-time GOP lackey. He assured Trump that Arkansas is "at work" and businesses are open. And in acknowledging the rising numbers Hutchinson said:
Well, ride em' cowboy!
Missouri, just to the north of Arkansas, contains two major population centers - Kansas City and St. Louis - and, as might be expected, has higher numbers of infections and deaths than Arkansas: 11,752 confirmed cases and 676 deaths. But, like Arkansas, Missouri has large rural swaths which have not experienced the actual impact of the pandemic.
Springfield, the state's third largest urban area, is a commercial, educational, and medical center for much of rural southern Missouri. This past week it was revealed that two hair-stylists in a large hair care center in Springfield had tested positive for the coronavirus, and that between the two they had exposed around 140 customers as well as the other stylists in the shop. The stylists and customers were apparently all wearing face masks, but haircuts involve a lot of personal contact nevertheless. Some of the haircut customers then returned to their jobs in the Springfield community where they interacted with other co-workers, clients, and customers - and most of the haircut customers also had contact with members of their own families - who then, in turn had contact with others!
See how that works? It quickly becomes a contact tracer's nightmare!
And then there was the infamous large and raucous pool party at the Lake of the Ozarks in Lake Osage, Missouri, that made national news this weekend. Hundreds of overly exposed bodies were having a grand old time as they crammed into a large swimming pool. Those revelers came from across the state and likely several neighboring states as well - and they easily shared whatever viral baggage they brought along - just like the kids at the pool party in Arkansas had done a few days earlier.
The American spirit parties on - especially in the happy-go-lucky Midwest!
At least for now.
Citizen Journalist
A few people in rural America, particularly in the Midwest, have taken the coronavirus threat seriously, but many have scoffed at all of the hullabaloo and seen it as mainly being a problem for city dwellers. It was never going to get out in the woods where they lived - and, if it did, well, it wasn't much more than flu anyway.
While infections and deaths in urban areas numbered in the thousands, many counties in midwestern states measured infections (if they had any at all) in the single digits, and deaths were extremely rare. It was a lot of noise and bother about what many saw as essentially nothing.
But all of that is about to change.
The predominantly rural state of Arkansas has had 5,775 confirmed cases of persons testing positive for coronavirus and 115 deaths.
Asa Hutchinson, a Bob Jones "University" graduate and the current governor of Arkansas, was forced to admit this weekend that his state, which he proudly notes never had a stay-at-home order during the height of the crisis, is now facing a second peak in infections as a result of a recent teen swimming pool party. In fact, Arkansas had its highest single day of new cases last week - 455 - and on Saturday it added 163 new cases and two deaths to its tally.
But the new rise in cases is not deterring Governor Hutchinson, a former George W. Bush "Drug Czar" and immigration official - and long-time GOP lackey. He assured Trump that Arkansas is "at work" and businesses are open. And in acknowledging the rising numbers Hutchinson said:
"We have to manage the risk. We take the virus very seriously, it's a risk, it causes death, but you can't cloister yourself at home, that is just contrary to the American spirit."
Well, ride em' cowboy!
Missouri, just to the north of Arkansas, contains two major population centers - Kansas City and St. Louis - and, as might be expected, has higher numbers of infections and deaths than Arkansas: 11,752 confirmed cases and 676 deaths. But, like Arkansas, Missouri has large rural swaths which have not experienced the actual impact of the pandemic.
Springfield, the state's third largest urban area, is a commercial, educational, and medical center for much of rural southern Missouri. This past week it was revealed that two hair-stylists in a large hair care center in Springfield had tested positive for the coronavirus, and that between the two they had exposed around 140 customers as well as the other stylists in the shop. The stylists and customers were apparently all wearing face masks, but haircuts involve a lot of personal contact nevertheless. Some of the haircut customers then returned to their jobs in the Springfield community where they interacted with other co-workers, clients, and customers - and most of the haircut customers also had contact with members of their own families - who then, in turn had contact with others!
See how that works? It quickly becomes a contact tracer's nightmare!
And then there was the infamous large and raucous pool party at the Lake of the Ozarks in Lake Osage, Missouri, that made national news this weekend. Hundreds of overly exposed bodies were having a grand old time as they crammed into a large swimming pool. Those revelers came from across the state and likely several neighboring states as well - and they easily shared whatever viral baggage they brought along - just like the kids at the pool party in Arkansas had done a few days earlier.
The American spirit parties on - especially in the happy-go-lucky Midwest!
At least for now.
No comments:
Post a Comment