In the absence of a cure, a vaccine will suffice
The science is inexact, but viral transmission leaves many of us feeling like we’re in harm’s way. Today, the unscheduled press conference by our chief health officer carried some unsettling news. Three new cases, in the capital, associated with a small restaurant frequented by local high school students. You see, we had already learned about a single student who had spent some quality time, with friends. In local restaurants. Before testing positive and undertaking the required self-quarantine.
I said the proof was weak, but the restaurant in question is now closed, and the inevitable fingers are being pointed. That’s the real danger of a pandemic. We await a vaccine, impatiently, while knowing that there is no cure in parallel. If you get sick, it could go badly. Perhaps not for you, but for one of the other people you came in contact with before diagnosis.
Those who happened to stop in for a cheap (tasteless) hamburger are now wondering. Was it the person beside me in line? Do I know someone who might be infectious? The next couple of weeks will carry elevated stress levels. My own intention is to avoid all occasions of contact, but my bubble isn’t as closed as all that.
Of course, this will all pass. We’ve been told to sing the “don’t worry, be happy” ditty until the all-clear signal is given. Oh, and wear your mask and keep washing your hands. I do live on an island; the boundaries are defined. Will the vaccine get here, in time? Hardly a way to foster mental health.
