Covid

People, in general, tend to over simplify things to wrap their head around them. To give you a good example of what I mean, let’s talk about Covid.

Let me tell you a little of my background and why that gives me some insight into Covid. As a retired health actuary and a person who gets frequent respiratory infections, I had experience with looking at how a respiratory illness like Covid goes through a population. As an actuary, I was used to thinking in terms of incidence, severity, and comorbidity. My clinical training is minimal but my observational training of disease, such as the flu, and its incidence and severity in a population had been gathered over 30 years of practical experience.

Anyway, I remember hearing whispers in the news of a new respiratory illness that had been seen in December, 2019. In fact, I came down with a bad case of viral respiratory illness that I decided was worrisome enough that I stayed home while my wife went to see her parents over Christmas because I was afraid I’d give them what I had gotten. Then, in January, President Trump spoke to the nation and mentioned this new illness that was believed to come from China. I believe he mentioned that only 5 people in the US had been confirmed to have caught this with, at that moment, no deaths. He closed travel from China and tried to reassure the country that we were working on developing treatments. He was eviscerated by the opposing side and the press as, among other things, over reacting. In fact, I remember talking to people in a social group I’m in about it and they were poo poo’ing the possibility of a problem. I suggested they pay attention to what was going on and think about what actions they might need to take.

It wasn’t two weeks later that Covid, became all anyone could talk about.  Even more, state governments were talking about shutting almost everything down for “2 weeks to flatten the curve” and requiring people to wear masks (with a lot of confusion about what type, I might add and no instructions on how to use them unfortunately). Adding to the problems, people started worrying about how long the emergency might last and started stockpiling supplies (of all things, a toilet paper shortage). At this point, I was fully supportive of the concept of “two weeks to flatten the curve…” not because I thought it would get rid of Covid but hoping that it would spread out the hospitalization of those people that would ultimately get infected and need hospitalization (you can’t have everyone in the hospital all at once). I was telling that same social group of people to not over react; this was going to be a marathon and not a sprint and that Covid would ultimately become a normal part of our life.

Then society really went left ditch to right ditch in that “2 weeks to flatten the curve” morphed into a way to get rid of Covid and was indefinite, masks became mandatory and a way to socially distinguish people who didn’t care. We started using the phrase “trust the science” (which is one of the most ridiculous sayings to make because science work is intertwined with skeptical checking and rechecking before acceptance).

I remember meeting my neighbor while I was mowing and he was getting his paper and making a comment about the effectiveness of masks and he replied that he wore them because they would keep him alive - a gross overstatement of their potential benefit. I decided not to challenge his unbridled trust in masks with facts.

I could go on to the new immunization created from a new and prior untested process but I think I’ll stop here. I hope you can see from my perspective and your own memory of this time that, as a society, we reacted to something new as being not worthy of consideration at first to consuming our lives in a very short time. I’ve read several hindsight articles questioning whether, as a society, we over reacted in some things we did causing other problems (think of how long schools were closed).

I try to remember this when I try to understand God’s plan. His plan is much more complex than a society trying to grapple with a new illness.  It reminds me that I need to trust him as my sovereign savior.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? ‘Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?” - Job 38:4-11 ESV

“My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together.” - Isaiah 48:13 ESV

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11 ESV