I am so sick and tired of hearing people say things like ‘well you’re young so you don’t have anything to worry about’ or ‘you shouldn’t be worried it won’t kill you.’ There Just because most people are not ‘elderly’ or ‘immunocompromised’ does not mean that we should pretend they do not exist at all.
Everyone’s lives matter even those who are ‘elderly’ or ‘immunocompromised.’ For these people simply washing their hands and going through the motions is not possible. They have to be aware of the things happening in the world, and they might be freaking out, rightfully so. Their lives are at risk and the more we ‘unaffected’ move about and spread this virus the easier it is for them to get it.
As we see people flood Walmart’s and buy out all of their local supermarkets leaving some without access to toilet paper, baby formula, distilled water, and so much more we need to really give this a thought. Should we be overdoing things in such a manner that leaves us all so much more together than it should? When we were told not to gather in large crowds we for some reason instantly flocked to our nearest grocery stores by the hundreds and took to the shelves.
I just don’t get it. Sure, if your average person comes down with the Coronavirus they probably won’t die, but they will still be sick, and they could still make other people sick. The people who need sanitizers and other things of the sort are now not able to even find them and that thought in itself makes me sick. The people who are at risk the most for this virus matter and by us continuing to go out and act as if nothing is happening, we are making things worse for them in the long-run whether we see the effects of it now or not.
Evelyn Lebel who is 27 and immunocompromised said it best when speaking to NBC News:
“People my age aren’t really thinking about just how many people they are putting in potential danger by continuing to go out,”
“Think about your grandparents and your parents, but also think about your friends your age. Some of us may look healthy on the outside but could be dealing with underlying health conditions.”
Tons of people like Lebel have been taking to their social media accounts to spread awareness in regard to all of this, and they deserve to be heard. These people are doing their best to educate others on how serious this is and why they cannot be around those who continue to go out and ‘live their lives’ because for them, this ‘little virus’ would be the difference between remaining alive and dying. I know staying in isn’t fun but it’s important to do-so as much as you can.
Hi I’m Leah, I’m 19 and I have Tetrology of Fallot. Right now I am waiting for a pulmonary valve replacement as well as trying to avoid getting sick. PLEASE stay inside and wash your hands. Let’s all be safe together! #HighRiskCovid19 pic.twitter.com/p80kvQRRQp
— Leah-Faith (@leahfugate12) March 16, 2020
hi, I’m 20 and I have SLE/lupus nephritis. I take immunosuppressants to keep my body from attacking itself. I’m amongst those who have to “self-isolate” to stay healthy for a majority of this year. so pls keep me/others in mind when u think u “can’t stay in” 🙂#HighRiskCovid19 pic.twitter.com/L6sUts5K9k
— B R I T T A N I A 🇯🇲 (@Brittaniaaa_) March 16, 2020
The lives of your older loved one’s matter and the lives of those older people who have no one matter. This, just as much as those who are young and struggling with different immunocompromising issues. Your life is not worth more than theirs and vice versa. We as humanity need to come together and do what is right in protecting all the people we can by not going out and making the spread of this virus worse.