Scott Tibbs
Trump is right. We should not be afraid of COVID-19.
By Scott Tibbs, October 16, 2020
Donald Trump may have stirred outrage when he said we should not be afraid of COVID-19 and that we should not allow it to dominate our lives, but he is right.
Does this mean we should not take the virus seriously? Of course not. We should take the virus seriously. Personally speaking, I was wearing a mask in public places before it was mandatory.
We must protect vulnerable populations from the virus to the greatest extent possible. People over 70 are vulnerable, and people over 80 are more vulnerable. But even for the highest-risk groups, the survival rate is 94.6% But being cautious is not the same as being afraid, and the fearmongering we have seen from the news media is just irresponsible.
Some on the Left have said we are "sacrificing" children by sending them to school, despite the fact that the fatality rate for anyone 19 and under is 0.003%. Despite the fearmongering we are seeing about universities, the fatality rate for people from 20-49 years old is 0.02%. This means the survival rates for those groups are 99.997% and 99.98%, respectively.
The fact is that it is impossible to stop a virus from spreading. Unless we achieve herd immunity the only thing we can do is slow the spread and protect the vulnerable. Thankfully, Trump has ordered an unprecedented effort to develop a vaccine in record time.
Can we please think rationally about this virus, instead of reacting emotionally?
Opinion Archives
E-mail Scott
Scott's Links
About the Author
ConservaTibbs.com