As I’m sure many of you are, I’m frustrated that people don’t understand the importance of staying home for the safety of others in the midst of this pandemic. It’s been just eleven weeks since the first major wave hit North America. From that point forward, it’s been an inconsistent rollercoaster of myths, bylaws, changing stories, and bullshit. But what’s more disheartening is that people are still acting as if nothing serious is going on when it’s obviously not true.
The government is starting to sound like a teacher who is trying to rally a bunch of rambunctious children together to calm down. They have to threaten and bribe us to keep us indoors. And for those who are following the rules, it feels like we’re all being punished because the other kids still aren’t getting the freaking idea.
I am frustrated that every time we make a great move in the right direction, people take it as a sign the pandemic is over and we can get back to the old normal.
Things are beginning to open slowly but surely. However, that is not because it is safe to be out in public. The government is opening additional businesses simply to try and save the economy that’s been crashing. And people are too uneducated to see the difference.
It’s the ultimate slap in the face to all of our healthcare workers and essential service employees. The people who carelessly refuse to follow the safety protocols when out in public are ultimately endangering these workers’ lives. These precautions are set in place in order to limit the risk of spreading or contracting the virus. It’s not because they enjoy making us miserable. And they’ve been working too damn hard for selfish people to ruin it simply because it was a nice day out and they wanted to go to a park.
What’s more, people’s justifications as to why they’re going out in public so carelessly have been nauseating.
Their excuses are weak and have no place at this point, especially when we’re in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. “I was bored,” “I wanted something to do,” “It was a beautiful day,” “I’m sick of my apartment,” “I’m being safe,” “I’m still social distancing,” and “Masks don’t work, so why wear one.” Enough of it. How entitled can you be to not realize how stupid you sound when you say things like this?
Just because you are sick of this pandemic doesn’t mean it’s automatically over.
I don’t know how many times the World Health Organization has to say this, but nobody on this planet is immune to this disease. Your age doesn’t matter when it comes to contracting it – there have been plenty of cases of young people dying. Now, picture someone older getting it. It can happen to anyone. We are fortunate to live in a world where we have alternate options. Instead of going to a church, stream it online. Instead of going to the gym or to a workout class, find at-home workouts on social media. At this point, it’s inexcusable to go out for non-essential reasons.
It’s disgustingly selfish how people have been acting. I am glad that as a society, we are seeing our friends’ true colors and how clueless they can be.
I hope seeing your boyfriend was worth it. And I hope having those beers with the boys in the garage was the highlight of your year. And I hope you don’t regret having car sex in a hidden parking lot with a stranger you probably won’t hear from again after your “quarantine date.” But remember that because of you and your senseless actions, someone could lose one of their loved ones they’ve been missing too.
Yes, I may sound like an overprotective loser who enjoys sitting at home and doing nothing all day. I also may sound like a prude. But I can say that I deeply wish that I could be seeing my loved ones too. I want to live my normal life again. I miss having a purpose and going to work every day. But I’m going to continue to stand up for what’s right and that’s to help remind people to stay the f*ck home. We all have to make sure that this doesn’t go on for longer than it has to.
Photo by Portuguese Gravity on Unsplash
Well said