Daily the news media is informing us about COVID 19 and the impact the virus has had on our communities, health care providers, employment, the economy, our schools, and the lives of our family and loves ones. We have learned that the best way to slow down (mitigate) the virus is to do a few simple things: practice social distancing, wear a face mask in public, thoroughly wash our hands and cough or sneeze into our arms and if ill to stay home. We have seen the data of the disproportionate impact of COVID 19 on communities of color. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) African-Americans make up 30% of COVID cases and in some cases are more likely to die from it. While I do not know the percentage of those deaths in the Pasadena/Altadena community, I am deeply troubled by the national numbers.
I was somewhat alarmed but not surprised by the beach goers in Southern California a few weeks ago. Some of those people may either already have the virus or worse, are asymptomatic, have caught it while socializing on the beach and will bring it back to their family, friends and community. I believe practicing social distancing and wearing a face mask is essential to being and staying safe. A few days ago, I saw a group of young African-American adults, both male and females, unmasked, not practicing social distancing, “high-fiving” and sharing a “smoke”. Now that alarmed me and surprised me. It was also disturbing. Perhaps, they did not fully understand the magnifications of the virus and the impacts on the greater community, their love ones and themselves. While the stay at home mandates have been challenging for all of us, the request for all of us to wear mask and to practice social distancing is not. Those practices can help to keep us safe, virus free and alive. YOUNG PEOPLE WEAR A MASK AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING. |
|
