Humans tend to be impatient beings, and patience continues to be gravely tested during this time of pandemic. There is a constant swirl of news updates that shift swiftly from hopeful to frightening. No one wants to be out of work, or constrained by face masks, or limited by contact distancing, or in a state of panic by the natural breath exhalations of other humans. We chafe under these new rules. But the explosion of “these are my rights” cries neglect the counter point.

With every right there exists an obligation, or duty. We are a society; we do not exist without the support of and connection to other human beings. If you accept that the state allows the right to life there also exists the obligation to not to expose that life to dangers, as well as to respect the life of others.

We do not have the testing data to realistically understand the spread of this pandemic virus. It can hide behind the masking appearance of good health while a simple breath sets it free. Newer manifestations of infection symptoms continue to be noted. It is not only the elderly and infirm who are at risk. Younger people are not as immune as once thought.

One new consequence of the virus in younger people is an abnormally high risk of stroke. The infection may appear to be improving and several days later shift to deadly. There is an evolving record of post-disease aftereffects, and there is still no firm assessment of whether immunity exists after contracting the virus, or for how long it might exist.

I understand the anger and the frustration, but not the willful choice to ignore science, to insult those who attempt to protect our lives, and the arrogance that “personal rights” supersede obligations to the protection of our collective society.

Linda Kristan
Alna

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