FORGOTTEN LESSONS OF COVID
We easily forget painful thoughts and events (sometimes). We want to “move on.” However, it is good to remember the lessons learned from those painful events. Wise people use history to prepare for the future. This is one history I hope we never forget.
Forgotten Lesson #1: Government Stockpiles may not exist.
By law the US Government AND State Governments are required to stockpile certain necessary items. In Michigan they were required to have masks, gloves and essential medical equipment, like IV tubing and extra ventilators in “stockpile” warehousing (at certain hospitals). When COVID hit, it was revealed that the Governor had neglected to re-supply those items after the last major need. There was no “stockpile.” So, nurses were required to re-use masks and were not issued new gloves for each shift. They washed their gloves in alcohol.
One daughter is a nurse. I reminded her that NOW she should stockpile her own masks and gloves by rotating those supplied and using fewer than in the supply.
Forgotten Lesson #2: When you have mere hours to make health decisions, don’t wait for science to tell you what to do.
Several solutions were suggested for those who were dying or very seriously ill. Doctors and scientists poo-pooed those suggestions for months… Some, it turned out were useless, but some were proven to be helpful. Those who were dying did not have months for the evidential studies. Practical experimentation is appropriate when there are no “proven” solutions.
Forgotten Lesson #3: Do not rely on supply chains.
In a major emergency you need basic supplies of your own. Have an extra pack of TP. Prepare by having powdered milk, powdered eggs, and mash potato flakes in your cupboard. Never let your essential medication run low (have an extra 2 week supply). Have some real cash money on hand for essentials because if the internet goes down you won’t be able to use Google pay.
Forgotten Lesson #4a: Your leaders may be wrong.
Unlike the “severe weather alert” you hear from time to time, political leaders either vastly overstate (to grab political power) or incredibly understate (to prevent panic) the problem. COVID was used to grab power. Their number one goal is always to not make a major political mistake. Their minds are not on what will be in most helpful to YOU. Many leaders love to use a crisis to further their own agendas. Don’t swallow what they tell you without solid evidence, reliable sources, and thought. So, prepare to use your own common sense.
Sub-Lesson #4b: Government may not be your friend. If you did not want to mask or did not trust the vaccine to do what they told you it would do (it turned out you had good sense) the government could jail you, fine you, harass you, or even cause you to be fired from your job. Later they said they “over-reacted,” but YOU were the ones who paid the consequences of their over-reactions.
Forgotten Lesson #5: Panic is bad.
Making a decision based on emotion often leads to a poor outcomes. (Do you see a pattern yet?) The two most dangerous emotions to avoid are GREED and FEAR. Both will be used against you.
Forgotten Lesson #6: History repeats.
I found that masking and social distancing had been tried before (several times beginning with the Spanish Flu and as late as the early 1970’s). It had never worked. So, I predicted that they would not work this time and I was correct. COVID was not stopped and, as the CDC admitted later, it was hardly slowed.
Forgotten Lesson #7: Even science and the press can be co-opted for a political agenda.
As we saw with COVID, the CDC and other large groups were coerced to toe the political line. Doctors who suggested fringe treatments were fired. The government positioned itself to restrict access to possible treatments. Worst, they promoted a “cure” which neither prevented, nor cured the virus (at great cost). The government pushed nurses, teachers, and soldiers to get THE SHOT or be fired. Students were not allowed to attend classes (even from home) if they did not get THE SHOT, then the BOOSTER SHOT, then the BOOSTER BOOSTER SHOT. The government was wrong, science was wrong, agencies were wrong. and the press was wrong. They knew they were wrong, but pushing the agenda was “the right thing to do.”
Forgotten Lesson #8: The government has the ability to cancel your rights.
Free speech, with whom and where you can meet others, where you can travel, and where you can shop were all limited. There was talk of taking children away from parents who refused to have them given the COVID shot. Most people weren’t even allowed to work. If you travel with cash the police can confiscate it. If your city, county, or state wants your land they can take it. In at least one city, those with wells were required to cap them and hook up to the city water system. Also with sewers…same city says you can’t have a septic system…even if you have 20 acres. Same city required downtown businesses to install more efficient lighting and heating systems; the next year they doubled the rates because they could not keep the electric utility costs covered because “customers” were cutting back on the amount of energy used.
Why is important to remember the lessons learned? Simple. You need to develop personal plans to deal with every awful decision someone else is going to make in an emergency. As we learned with COVID, few decisions made were helpful to YOU or your neighbors. Now that the truth has been revealed and we are no longer under EMERGENCY and we don’t have to deal with all the official dis-information we have a chance to prepare for the next one. Yes, there will be a next one. Not COVID, but “national” or “state” emergency. If you aren’t prepared you will experience the same issues as you did with COVID.
Copyright 2023 Donald Whelpley
[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms, as I do, and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere. ~ Sherry]
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~ The Effect of Crime On Small Business ~ Young Brains ~ Why We Miss ~ Helpful Pests ~ Giving Up Your Seat ~
~ Obedience ~ Good Mental Habits ~ Winning The Lottery ~ Why Sarcasm Does Not Translate ~ OOPS! That’s How I Write ~
~ The RE-COLONIZATION of America, pt. II ~ Laws The U.S. Should Enact ~ The Re-Colonization Of America, pt. I ~
~ How To Retire On Less ~ State Song ~ The “Holier Than Thou” Attitude of “The Boy Who Cried ‘Wolf’” ~
~ THE TRUTH ~ H.A.L.T ~ Where’s The Clamor? ~ Parents Who Lie ~ Odd Places ~ Internet Is Fragile ~ Shopping ~
~ Student Loans ~ A Government ~ Going To Church ~ Anheuser-Busch ~ Hans Van Doorn ~ The Wrong Problem ~
~ Talking About Money ~ Trustworthy ~ A Life More Beautiful ~ TECH with ATTITUDE! ~ Black Drink ~
~ Public Schools III ~ Public Schools II ~ Public Schools I ~ 5-Star Reviews ~ Fractions Matter! ~ Small Spoons ~
~ Dumpster ~ Weird Forgiveness III ~ Weird Forgiveness II ~ Weird Forgiveness I ~
~ Classified Documents ~ Future You Needs A Friend ~ Feeling Understood ~ Starting The New Year Right ~
~ Awe! Aah! Ooh! ~ Christmas As A Poor (Rich) Child ~ Bigger Problems ~ Blessing ~ Climate Change – 2 ~
~ Medical Science Too Far? ~ Gravity and Light ~ Travel Fun ~ Fascinating People: Gloria Hartman Doughty ~
~ Sadly Magic Words ~ Mulberries ~ Climate Change? ~ ~ SPURIOUS UBIQUITOUS NOISE ~ TEW ~
~ Credit Card Debt ~ Insect Oddities ~ DATA ~ Cities Got Name? ~ The Bible Does Not Say That! ~ Too Old?? ~
~ Be My Guest ~ IN-CRE-MEN-TAL-ISM ~ Bad Friends & Broken Tools ~Pools Are For The Birds?? ~
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