Optimism Is Challenging As 2021 Begins

Optimism Is Challenging As 2021 Begins

As 2021 began I approached it with some optimism in spite of what I’d experienced during 2020. That quickly dissipated during a New Year’s Day trip to Snow Canyon State Park for what I’d hoped would be an enjoyable and relaxing outdoor experience.

I knew that the park would be busy but the level of park visitation I envisioned was challenged even before we got into the park. The vehicle line to get in was backed up, and when we finally got in, we found that parking areas were full and people were parking on the side of the road. But that wasn’t the worst of it. I could have handled the people had they had the courtesy and concern for themselves and others that’s expected during this time of increasing COVID numbers.  On New Year’s Day, there were 4,672 new cases in Utah. Given what we saw in Snow Canyon that day, it’s not difficult to figure out why.

Few people were masked and large groups gathered on the trail with no social distancing, not even having the courtesy to move off the trail or to the side to let others pass to provide social distancing.

There were many children in these groups. Recent studies revealed that “infected children had as much, or more, coronavirus in their upper respiratory tracts as infected adults. So, although they don’t show symptoms they can spread the virus even more than adults” and “the presence of high viral loads in infected children does increase the concern that children, even those without symptoms, could readily spread the infection to others.” Kids should be masked, too, given this information. Not to mention the fact that they should be taught by their parents—if those parents even care!—that they should be good neighbors and care about others.

In addition to the poor behavior by park visitors, a park employee was walking without a mask, not even expected to set a good example herself apparently, adding insult to injury. Does she not read/see the news? Does the Utah Division of Natural Resources not expect more of their employees?

Now some readers are probably thinking, “Get over it. You were outside.” And, that’s true we were, but given the rise in cases and the new easier-to-catch version of the virus, even outside social distancing should be the norm. It’s not that tough. It’s not taking away your freedom. When did freedom become equivalent to being rude? Also, masks are a way of reminding people that we are not out of the woods yet—that we still have a long road ahead of us.  Even after vaccines which are 90%+ effective are administered, people are still advised to wear masks and social distance until we get through this nightmare.

I fear that even those who get vaccinated and did wear masks prior to getting the vaccine will now think they don’t have to wear masks, but they do and should. Wearing masks is a way of reminding others who have not yet been vaccinated of the continuing danger.

The selfishness we witnessed that day made me wonder how people today would have fared during WWII when Americans actually worked together and sacrificed to help win the war. After all, this is a war—a war against an invisible enemy—but we seem to have created a society of selfish, in-it-for-themselves citizens who could give a rat’s patootie about anyone else, including, apparently, themselves, their loved ones and friends, and are unwilling to set a decent example for their children.

In closing, I have to add that I find it curious and disturbing that many health care workers who have been on the front lines during the pandemic and have been asking people to do what’s right by social distancing and wearing masks are now not willing to take the vaccine that we’ve all been waiting for. It’s a troubling and conflicting position on their part.

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