The Pandemic in Utah (and elsewhere) is out of control

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/utah/

This is a graph of the Daily New Cases in the State of Utah. Although the totals are not nearly as high as those in other states, the increases since September show a steep upward curve. This graph is particularly of interest to me because I live in Utah. But I also live in the United States. Here is the graph for the same day for the entire United States. 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

You can see the same increasing trend in the United States as you can see for Utah. Now, what happens if we look at the same day for the whole world?

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Why do they all look about the same? Simple. This is a record of a worldwide pandemic. Just as John Donne said about people (men back then) "No Man is an Island." No city, county, state, or country in the world is not part of this pandemic. You can't have a pee area in a swimming pool without sharing. 

Here in Utah, the spread of the COVID-19 virus is looked upon as a local issue. Each county is subject to an individual evaluation with a simplistic three-tiers system of high, moderate, and low. What is missing is a realization that people can indiscriminately move from one county to another, i.e. the swimming pool. There is no enforcement just admonition to wear masks etc. 

Essentially, there has been an accumulation of incompetence, ignorance, and an inability to appreciate reality topped off with a disdain for "science." In the United States, the whole approach to control has been politicized to the point that supposed economic considerations have outweighed the fact that a huge increase in COVID-19 will likely destroy any chance of a swift economic recovery or any recovery. 

Meanwhile, as one of my daughters related to me just recently, there are people who believe that the whole pandemic is a Democratic hoax and invention. Hmm. I wonder how the Democrats got Spain to go along with their hoax. Here is the graph for Spain on the same day as above.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/spain/

The economy of the United States is hopelessly lopsided. Here is a quote from a USAToday article entitled, "How much do you need to make to be in the top 1% in every state? Here's the list."

Nationwide, it takes an annual income of $538,926 to be among the top 1%. Among the approximately 1.4 million taxpayers who meet this threshold, the average annual income is about $1.7 million – about 20 times the average income of $82,535 among all taxpayers.

However, the top 0.01 percent has an average annual income of over $7 million dollars a year. In the first quarter of 2020, the lower 50% of households and nonprofit organizations held 1.4% of all net worth in the United States. In other words, the spread of a pandemic will cause unimaginable suffering and loss but it will not end up affecting the huge disparity in wealth in the United States and around the world. Some of the largest companies in the world are benefitting from the pandemic with record sales. See "Who Are the One Percent in the United States by Income and Net Worth?"

Back to Utah. Up to this point, the government in Utah at all levels has not made any effort to enforce any mandate that might contain or even affect the spread of the COVID-19 virus. How high do the statistics have to go before something is done?

Meanwhile, I will continue to stay home, distance myself from everyone, and wear a mask when I go outside and talk to people. I will also continue to monitor the recovery of my near relatives and friends.