For starters, yes, most of us are at least trying to have our regular Thanksgiving holiday. There are those people who are scared of Rona or who are in high risk groups who will not be attending. Otherwise, it’s game on!
City people simply do not understand rural America. It’s sparsely populated, the same families have lived in the same areas for generations, there are only a few places to buy groceries and other necessities, and we all come into contact with each other regularly. It’s inevitable. We can’t not come into contact with each other when we go get the oil changed on a vehicle, go to the doctor, or attend church and school. Most of us know each other as well as our neighbor’s family history. Yes, Rona as well as the flu or any other virus, spreads differently in rural areas. A virus isn’t present, or we all come into direct contact with the virus or someone who has it. We have to close down schools most winters for a week or so in order to get the flu under control when flu season hits each year. Usually this happens when such a high percentage of teachers and students are home sick that we don’t have enough teachers for the classes and too many kids are missing too much school all at the same time. It’s more of a let’s close for a week so everyone can recover than let’s close for a week to prevent the spread. Rona is spreading no differently. It has hit where I live. A nationwide shutdown for 4-6 weeks as Biden is pushing? No. That’s ridiculous.
The Kansas health department just released updated numbers since the beginning of Rona. Our recovery rate is 98.8 percent and steadily rising as we learn how to treat Rona. Kids are statistically less at risk of dying or being hospitalized from Rona than they are with the flu. I would rather my son caught Rona. It’s literally less dangerous for him. For me, I would rather catch the flu if I had to pick one. Rona could be dangerous for me. As could a rattlesnake in the pasture by the creek. I’m probably going fishing anyway.
Rona is a manageable virus and presents zero need to panic where I live. Kansas legislators sued our state governor regarding her mask mandate. She lost. Mask mandates and health decisions are up to individual county commissioners who are elected by people in their own county. Right now my county has a mask mandate for public buildings and gatherings. Most people are blatantly ignoring the mandate. The reason stated for the mandate is that Rona positive people refused to quarantine and stay home. Why? Because they aren’t sick for two weeks. The flu in this area the last two years was much worse than Rona has been for most people. Antibiotics to prevent and fight bacterial pneumonia are showing to prevent the need for ventilators and deaths. It’s not like we didn’t already know this. Treat it from the beginning instead of quarantining people with no treatment until they need a ventilator and die. They aren’t dying from Rona. They’re dying from bacterial pneumonia. The same as the flu, the same as the Spanish flu, the same as most other respiratory illnesses. Stop the panic and start treating what we know. We know bacterial pneumonia. If we can keep pneumonia from setting in, we don’t need a ventilator which usually ends in death. Anti-virals are proving effective in some people as well. Say whatever you like, but a decreasing mortality rate and one that is significantly less than 2 percent isn’t that frightening. Clearly, our doctors are learning how to treat Rona. Ventilators have never been a treatment for anything. They’re life support while the doctors try to treat your illness.
Yes, we are having Thanksgiving with our families. It’s time to stop buying into the fear and start living again. The Rona numbers are not accurate. Start asking people you know who have had multiple tests with multiple results. Either the tests are inaccurate or the test reporters are falsely reporting numbers. I would not have a test unless forced because they are not accurate. I will have and enjoy Thanksgiving with my family.
Middle of the Muddy Road 