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Coronavirus General Commentaries

April 2020

By Gary F. Zeolla

These Commentaries are continued from Coronavirus General Commentaries: March 2020.

The Real Coronavirus Chronology Shows Trump Was On Top Of It While Biden Was Mocking The Danger

      This is an excellent article in The Federalist. It chronicles the early timeline of the Coronavirus (CV) crisis, debunking leftist claims that Trump’s early response to the CV was inadequate. It is similar to my article “Trump’s Initial Response to the Coronavirus: A Response to the Critics.

      However, this Federalist article provides specific dates and quotes, while my article provides more of an overview. But together, they should put to rest the idea that Trump is somehow responsible for CV outbreak getting so bad here in the USA.
4/6/20

Why Severe Social Distancing Might Actually Result In More Coronavirus Deaths

      This is another excellent article in The Federalist. It parallels the section on “Herd Immunity” in my article Sadness, Predictions, and More on the Coronavirus. Both “The Federalist” and myself do not deny that the Coronavirus (CV) outbreak is serious. However, we both disagree with the draconian approach the federal, state, and local governments have chosen to address this crisis. There was a better way to address the crisis that not only would have worked just as well if not better at controlling the outbreak, but which would not have completely trashed our once booming economy, trampled on our First Amendment and other rights, and caused spiritual, mental, and physical harm to Americans.
4/6/20

Task force personal, social distancing, and masks

    Some have asked why those conducting the Coronavirus task force briefings are not wearing masks and practicing social distancing themselves. The answer is simple—President Trump, VP Pence, Dr. Fauci have all said they have been tested and were negative, and I am sure the rest of the CV task force team have all also tested negative for the virus. Since they know they are not infected, there is no need for them to practice social distancing. That is also why they are not wearing masks. The use of masks is more to keep those who are infected from infecting others than it is to protect the person wearing it from getting infected.
4/7/20

Turn to the LORD in times of distress

       Yesterday (4/9/20) I posted about the skyrocketing unemployment numbers and people turning to self-abusive habits to deal with the stress (see on Coronavirus Trib Live News Articles Commentaries: April 2020). I wanted to add that it would be much better if people turned to the LORD in times of distress. But sadly, many will not do that and go the self-abuse route.

      Making it harder to turn to the LORD is the closing of churches. Of course, you don’t need to go to church to commit (or recommit) your life to God, but for many, that is often the first step. I know it was for me back in the day. That is why I am so distressed about the church closings.

      But it is good to hear some churches are getting innovative. A local church to me for instance is holding its Easter Sunday service in a drive-in theater lot. I’ve heard of that happening in other places in the country as well. People and families stay in their cars, but they still have some sense of group worship.

      I also heard of a neighborhood, where everyone came out of their homes at 10:00 am last Sunday and began singing hymns from their own yards. A few started, and more joined in, until the whole neighborhood joined in. It would be great to hear of that happening across the country on Easter Sunday.

      Of course, many churches are airing online services. That is true for many churches in my area, as seen in a news story I also posted about yesterday.

      All of that is great, but it still does not substitute for person-to-person contact of a church service or a home group Bible study. I do hope and pray those can come back soon, before people get too entrenched in their self-abusive habits.

      But to be clear, I do think churches should abide by the social distancing restrictions and not hold in-person services. I know many think it is a sign of faithfulness to the LORD to defy those orders and to hold services. But that will be viewed as a lack of love by those outside the church, and that will hinder the church’s ability to reach out to those in need now and in the future.

      Along those lines, I have heard of churches participating in providing food to those in need or reaching out in other ways. That is good to hear, and I hope it continues. “Open your trunk” is the name of one such program I just heard of. People stay in their cars but pop open their trunks, then volunteers either take food out of their trunks they are donating for others, or those in need have boxes of food put into their trunks.

      Providing for physical needs while being respectful of the restrictions to protect those around us will open the door to Christians being able to tell people about the True Source of comfort in this crisis and in all of life’s distresses, “In my distress I will call upon the LORD, and I will cry out to my God, and He will hear my voice from His temple, and my outcry [will come] into His ears” (2Sam 22:7; ALT).
4/10/20

“Just Compensation”

 “Amendment V (1791): … nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation” (US Constitution).

       At the time the Constitution was written, “private property” meant income. People used their land for farming or to house a shop to produce wealth. Today, the US government has taken away people’s “property” meaning people’s means of producing income by forcibly closing businesses. As such, the government is required to provide “just compensation” to those so affected.

      I am writing this in response to those liberals who are claiming it is contradictory for conservatives to decry government overreach and socialism but to accept the federal relief of business loans and payments to individuals.

      No, it is not. The federal government’s relief package is not socialism. It is It is line with conservative principles for the federal government to obey the Constitution and provide such relief, since it was the government took away our ability to produce wealth allegedly for the public good.
4/16/20

Finally, some sensibility

       At the Coronavirus task force briefing yesterday (April 16, 2020), Dr. Deborah Birx announced the three-phase plan for reopening areas of the country that meet certain increasing requirements for having recovered from the Coronavirus. In Phase One is the following, “Gyms can open if they adhere to strict physical distance and sanitation protocols.”

      Finally, some sensibility. This is what I have been saying all along. But I thank God the task force realizes gyms are so essential they need to reopen in phase one. I just hope Gov. Tom Wolf here in PA and Gov. Mike DeWine in Ohio follow these guidelines and reopen gyms soon.

      As I’ve mentioned, I have a home gym, so my complaints about gyms being closed have never been about me, just concern for my fellow-Americans. But my next powerlifting contest will be either in PA or in OH, but a contest cannot even be scheduled until the gyms reopen and then lifters have time to train.
4/17/20

Old news for those who have been reading my Coronavirus writings

 Fox News: Nearly all NY coronavirus patients suffered underlying health issue, study finds

      This study found the vast majority of people in New York who were hospitalized with complications from Coronavirus (CV) were obese, had hypertension, and/ or diabetes. The vast majority of people who died had diabetes.

      This is exactly what I have been saying for weeks. People who are overweight and out of shape are most likely to have serious adverse consequences from the CV. It is why I have also been saying for weeks that the closing of gyms is idiotic. Then when they began closing parks, I said that was ridiculous. And it was ludicrous when they closed lawn and garden shops.

      I didn’t mention beaches previously because there are no beaches anywhere near Pittsburgh where I live. But Georgia Governor Brian Kemp was absolutely correct to open the beaches in his state for exercise (but not for sunbathing). But shame on those governors who closed any or all of the proceeding places.

      If I sound upset, I am! Only a complete fool would think the best way to keep people healthy would be to make it almost impossible for them to exercise.

      I know it has only been a few weeks since these places began to be closed. But if you are someone with diabetes or hyperextension but who was keeping your blood sugar or blood pressure under control via exercise, then all of the sudden, you were forced to stop that exercise, it is inevitable that your blood sugar or pressure would skyrocket to dangerous levels very quickly. That would then put you in the hospital or worst the morgue if you contract the CV.

      This was all so predictable. But the governors were too power hungry to listen to commons sense. People have suffered and died due to their ineptitude.

      It also means it is absurd to force those of use who are not overweight and out of shape to shelter at home. Let those who refuse to watch what they eat and to exercise stay at home, but set the rest of us free. We are not at significant risk of serious complications from the CV.
4/23/20

These Commentaries are continued from Coronavirus General Commentaries: May 2020.

Coronavirus General Commentaries: April 2020 . Copyright © 2020 By Gary F. Zeolla.

The above commentaries were posted in April 2020.