Recall fails me—don’t remember when or where—but it probably happened during my undergraduate college days in Seattle. What stays with me though is the occurrence that for whatever reason should be shuffled to the bottom of my memory deck and forgotten. But part of what occurred remains vivid. Here’s what transpired: someone unknown to me walked into the room where a dozen or so partygoers sat chatting about god knows what. A young man about the age of the rest of us entered the room; he must have been invited because he acted familiar as if he belonged. He smiled, stood in the center of the room, clapped his hands, and said in a forceful voice, “Everyone stand up and balance on one foot.” Odd request, I thought. Then he insisted, “Now!”
Perhaps half of those in attendance stood without a quarrel and began imitating flamingos. I do not remember how many others did what I did, which was nothing more than stare at the young man and all those who followed his directives. Someone, perhaps it was I, asked, “Why should we do that?”
That’s it.
Which brings me to the present moment and the emergency orders from governors and other enjoined officials to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. Officials are not asking us to stand on one foot, certainly, but many folks are asking, “Why should we do that?” Protesters have gathered at state capitols to challenge bans against opening businesses, beaches, parks, sporting events, and places of worship, among other venues. Though I do not align myself with the protesters view that we have the right to gather with our chums at the corner tavern and to spread droplets and aerosols all over kingdom come without government interference, I grant that disobedience to capricious authority (“stand and balance yourself on one foot”) is ethically proper and morally necessary. The larger question here is the legitimacy of the authority telling everyone what to do. Does the governor have the authority to require us to stay home, to tell us to wear a mask, to keep us from gathering for a funeral, to shutter places of worship, or to sort through a list of businesses and decide which ones are essential and which ones are not? Depending on whom you ask, the answers are as diverse as the flavor choices one finds at a Baskin-Robbins.
So far, though, most governors have opted for health and safety over the interests of immediate economic recuperation. Pretty sure it is hard to go back to work or open the shop doors if one is really sick or dead, right? But soon our society will once again be open no matter what state officials deem mandatory. Once the financial car conks out, we all have to get out and push or we are not going anywhere. And not going anywhere, just sitting in the middle of the road, does not seem like a realistic or safe choice. There is, of course, a danger no matter what we choose.
Those who trust science for answers in reawakening America’s economy know that several stages of recovery must occur. First, wide-spread COVID-19 diagnostic testing must be put in place. Everyone should be tested. Everyone. Recovery starts there—testing and lots of it. Without that, this crisis could go on for years if no suitable treatments or vaccines are realized. So far, woefully, we fall short of knowing how to corner the sickness because we do not know who has it, who is likely to spread it, and who came in contact with the virus and needs monitoring.
Next, deployment of robust evidence-based tracking systems must be installed. Daunting job that will be, but all that testing must be sorted, studied, and put to operational use. Think of tracking as a surveillance tool, one that traces the movements of a virus and all those with whom the virus comes in contact with. It will be a lot easier to find Waldo if he’s wearing a beeping collar. Ultimately, privacy issues arise when large numbers of citizens are surveilled; of course we should be concerned. I am. The hope is that tracking systems will be one-and done and will only apply to the coronavirus crisis. Big brother concerns are real, though, and will be well into the future independent from what is done to track this virus. Like the virus itself, once tracking systems are widely used they will be hard to contain.
Finally, after testing and tracking phases of recovery, we hope for a treatment and/or immunization that will put a stop to the fear and turmoil dispersed by this virus. We hope. While leading immunology experts expect that cures will eventually arrive, no one can be certain. A number of viruses (HIV/AIDS, Dengue, for instance) have never been defeated by vaccines.
No matter what happens, several profound changes will come over the next few years because of COVID-19. Public restrooms will be restyled, and cleaning methods will need improvement. Self-cleaning features as well as placing limits on the number of people using the facilities will certainly be implemented. As is, public bathroom facilities are bioweapons that are dangerous unless one practices extra precautions.
Past practices of travel must also change dramatically. Air travel, cruises, train use, and auto trips—the way we move from one place to another will need prudence and require physical distancing in much the same way we now experience it. Post COVID-19 travel will favor destinations close to home, probably by car, and fewer stops at hotels and motels, choosing instead well maintained private vacation rentals.
More, our workspaces will need reshaping. To be useful, skyscraper office buildings in our urban landscape must undergo adjustments—recalibrating cubicle and office areas, refitting airflow systems, setting policy for safe use of elevators, and so on.
How easy it has always been to react thoughtlessly when someone says, “Hi” and extends an open palm for a handshake. For a while, anyway, that gesture may be met with a gentle refusal, perhaps an elbow bump or a high-five that never quite brings skin to skin.
In many ways, we are all standing on one leg at the moment. In this pandemic we seek balance, not because of someone’s capricious whim. Soon, however, we will regain equilibrium and carry on.