Dear Reader,
Where is this coronavirus ‘thing’ headed anyway? This is a great question that you will, of course, not get a straight answer on. As is so often the case in the United States, this country is once again divided on the coronavirus issue.
I scanned news articles today and categorized/ summarized the following headlines below for you.
Help! Things are getting worse!
- Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas — reported highs for new coronavirus case averages on June 16th, according to a Washington Post analysis.
- Virus cases in jails and prisons are surging with the number of infected inmates doubling to more than 68,000 in the past month.
- Brazil reported 35,000 new coronavirus cases on June 16th alone.
Things are not as bad as they say they are!
- Hello summer! The Caribbean is welcoming tourists again provided they undergo testing and and wear face masks
- ‘No Reason Today To Be Alarmed’ says Texas Governor, blaming data-processing errors and delayed coronavirus testing announcements for seemingly large spikes in positive cases
- Iceland beat the coronavirus! Tourists will be allowed to visit this summer on the condition that they take a test upon arrival or agree to quarantine
To be clear, Dear Reader, I do not feel divided on the issue of whether the pandemic is worsening. Although I have presented you with an even number of arguments on both sides, I will confess to you that I struggled to find hard evidence that the pandemic is ‘not as bad as they say it is.’
As you plan your summer vacations, please remember that there are many people out there that depend on your good judgement (wearing masks, maintaining your distance, quaranting yourself if ill, etc.) to literally survive.
Even if you do not believe that the second wave is a threat, there is simply no denying that the situation as it stands is not good. Luckily (or unfortunately), we can all play a role in containing the pandemic. So, if you are inspired to do more to help, consider doing any of the following:
- Donate plasma (I looked up this option, it can hurt…)
- Support local restaurants by ordering take out
- Donate to an organization fighting COVID-19 in your community
- Raise awareness (like I so meekly do on occasion)
- Wear your mask, practice social distancing, and stay home if you feel unwell
- There are many more ways to get involved here.
Wishing you a happy and healthy summer!
Love,
Raven
Curious Words Blog 
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