Journaling the Coronavirus (COVID19) Pandemic,
Reflection #61
May 11, 2020
Here they come.
A couple of months ago I first discussed the potential of the coming crisis affecting the very core values and mores of the American social condition. Here they come, that phrase refers to the creation of a vast army of virus checkers. In my last article, I used Hawaii as an example of the way things are likely to go in one particularly dangerous area. That area is called, right now, ‘self-quarantine.’ In Hawaii, before tourism stopped dead in its tracks, the officials on the islands figured out that most visitors, although required to self-quarantine for the first two weeks of their visit (in other words, all of their visit), did not follow through and do it. So, the leaders started with self-quarantine but then passed a law, when that was not done, to enforce the quarantine. To supplement catching offenders and locking them up and fining them under the new emergency law, they enlisted hotel workers and anyone else who might ‘snitch’ on the offenders.
The front page of the New York Times headlined this morning the coming new policy of hiring a hundred thousand ‘tracers.’ Tracers, people hired without training or equipment for argumentative and potentially violent confrontations with the public, will go out, upon being notified of a positive virus test, question the person testing positive and then pursue finding and instructing anyone who had contact with that person before the diagnosis to self-quarantine for two weeks. The fact that the person testing positive is contacted and questioned by the tracer, and therefore the tracer should be quarantined for two weeks, is humorously besides the point (think Monty Python). When voluntary quarantine does not work, as it did not in Hawaii, then the enforcement laws will be enacted and come into play across the country. Illinois, on the front page of the Tribune this morning, wants to hire 38,000 traces all by itself.
The tracers would come from the general population portion that is currently unemployed. Wow. This is going to get real interesting, especially when uneducated and barely trained white folks are sent to South Chicago neighborhoods to tell those people that they can starve at home instead of out in the streets. Like we did not have enough drama before? Stand by for July 4th fireworks beginning much earlier this year. The virus cannot be allowed to die or go away. Its effects are simply too entertaining, from a very dark and draconian viewpoint.
OK, Go ahead and shout your Feelings about All of This
Have not read all of them but AI agree with you 100%. I fell that this is nothing more then the beginning of a Socalist Country. When you use the figures that they give no matter what state or for the whole country it seems that most of the dying are seniors aready in nursing homes and that they did not do really anything about them until last week where our state [Mn] said they have a 5 step plan NOW to make them safer. Here they have now done over 111,000 tests with the 12,500 odd cases which means that 89% of the tests show that they are niot sick. They also have been talking aobut the figures of between 40 to 100 times the number of people that have had or do have the virus now. That means the death rate is somewhere between .02 and .05 % of the cases and so far in my state the death rate is amost 10 of 12 are in nursing homes with the average death age of in their 80’s And we can’t forget here that until just in the last day or so all the tests have been done in the hot spots, nursing homes and the meat packing plants there there are several thousand working next to each other and also traveling to other plants. The expectation is our Govenor is going to push the stay at home through to the middle of June. Could be a problem as a lot of people are gettng tired of this. Also they/we are having a problem with why can’t mom and pop stores , furniture, clothing cigearettes etc be open as they do not have many peole tromping through them. Sorry got long!!!
Thank you for your detailed response, Roger.
More evolves daily about this historic event.
Thanks for your support.
Jim
Here in California the governor is hiring 6,000 additional tracers from people that already work for the state. They will get two days online and one day classroom training. Most County and City health departments already have tracers. They do not meet the people in person. They interview them over the phone and it takes about two hours for the interview.
I believe some states are hiring these large numbers of tracers because they want the Feds to pay for it. Which means you and I will foot the bill with higher taxes.
I have no idea why anyone of intellect would accept a call from a tracer, under any circumstance.
Thanks for the California alert. More of this crap is coming and it is quickly going to run right out of control.
Semper fi,
Jim
Tracer? The last time I had anything to do with a tracer was in the Corps and that was a one way exchange, fewer words were ever said.
I expect my next encounter with one, will be similar.
Thanks for the solid input…
Now be sure to have your “device” deactivated ~~smile
Semper fi
Jim
Wow, we are turning into a soviet population right before our eyes. People need to get a grip. They need to take each day as it happens. This secret police, especially on the southside of Chicago, will lead to more people being shot at. Soon, it will neighbor versus neighbor.
Interesting analysis, Mark.
Thanks again for the comment
Jim
We shall become a nation of informers and Quislings. This lunacy is frightening.
It is a strange scenario, for sure.
Thanks for your input, Steve