Whistling past the graveyard

Posted

You know that feeling you get after going to the store and realizing you might have been a little too close to someone or forgot safety protocols? Then you remember that Jefferson County hasn’t had a newly diagnosed coronavirus in more than 14 days. What a relief! You can kiss that feeling goodbye, because you won’t have it again once outsiders start arriving.

Once things get rolling, it will be weeks and maybe months before we know what hit us. We do know something will! Is it really worth it?

I was held up at gunpoint from behind many years ago. The thought of protecting my money rather than my life never crossed my mind. The immediacy of the danger is what made it an easy choice.

If you knew that the results would be one death, is that OK? Fewer than five or 10? We are the oldest-aged county in Washington and 10th oldest-aged county in the U.S. Our average age is almost 20 years older than the state or national average. Visitors coming from dozens, if not hundreds, of towns with all sorts of infection levels. No screening. No possibility of contact tracing. Will they be careful people? Probably not! Are you traveling for pleasure this summer? Neither will other careful people.

We know who wants to pass it on in order to reach herd immunity or who thinks it is a hoax. They are appearing in protests around the country and they are not going to allow the government to tell them where to go or how to conduct themselves. Some of them will be coming here. We are a day or weekend drive away from millions of people, and some will decide to come here rather than travel farther. Will they wear masks? Will they care?

Larry Kallenberger
Port Townsend