Unless you are one of the dead. Even if not one of the dead, I doubt many people on the T&F forum look forward to possible permanent lung damage.
To give everyone a perspective on mortality, here's a link to mortality rates in the world:
en.wikipedia.org
Roughly speaking, per year, anywhere from roughly 0.75%-1.0% of the population can be expected to die, regardless of whatever is going on in the world (like Coronavirus). Given the worst case scenarios I've seen bandied about in the news, maybe upwards of 2-3.5% of people infected with Coronavirus will die. Terrible - Yes. However, if you factor out roughly the 1% of them that would die anyway, then that leaves you with 1-2.5% of them dying SOLELY due to the virus. Of course, elderly & immune-compromised people (my oldest sister is one such person...completely immuno-suppressed) are the most vulnerable and should self-isolate as much as is possible during not only these times, but in general. Of course, with isolation, depression likely rises as human beings are created for social discourse. This is aside from the very real needs of all of us to be able to financially withstand SEVERE financial impacts that are now only starting to take place throughout not only the US, but the world. Once this ball gets rolling downhill, it is EXTREMELY difficult to reverse. Mankind CAN NOT simply shutdown economies for months on end. That kind of mentality will result in far more people dead than the Coronavirus will ever kill. Many low income people live paycheck-to-paycheck, and many of those jobs are cash under-the-table, not reported to the government, and are wholly reliant upon people with steady incomes being generous enough to hire them for work. Once you start turning off segments of society from being able to do their jobs, then those at the bottom wrung of society will be the worse off, and they CAN'T file for any unemployment. I could go on and on about the financial devastation currently taking place to the world, but all I would get is push back about how each life is precious and how cruel I am in my outlook on matters. I assure you, I am not indifferent. My parents are elderly as well, the oldest of my sisters has a very serious auto-immuno deficiency, and I myself am in my mid 50s. No spring chicken. However, I nevertheless recognize that there are always balances in life that have to be maintained for the greater good. Coronavirus is just that - a virus. It is already well established throughout not only the US, but the world. It will continue to make its way, regardless of all our best efforts. Over time, viruses weaken as a whole as it encounters individuals and their immune systems develop antibodies to the virus. That is what needs to happen with Coronavirus. The "herd" will develop antibodies if exposed. Some will be lost, unfortunately, but that is the case with all viruses each year. Coronavirus is NOT the bubonic plague or any of the other extremely acute infections that overwhelm the bodies of perfectly healthy people and thus require extreme quarantine measures of entire populations. It is virulent, but not acute in that you die within days (excepting for the aforementioned compromised people). Most people, including myself, will acquire this virus in the upcoming year. My body, and yours, will develop antibodies. This is aside from the vaccinations that are likely to come about in the coming year. The first trials already started yesterday. With God's grace and compassion, almost all will survive just fine. The "herd" will survive just fine. Some, unfortunately, will be lost. That may include me as well?
Anyway, I've spoken my piece. Some of you won't care or think I'm still callous, and that's fine. Take whatever precautions you deem appropriate for you and your families. I wish you all the best, but for the foreseeable future, likely till 2021, I'm outta here. Track and field is more than likely kaput for the rest of the year, not just at the HS / NCAA level, but most likely internationally as well, particularly the Olympics. Gone.
До свидания
the Olympics??