The lack of national leadership in containing the virus and eradicating it has led us to a point where it is out of control all across the nation.
This is where the outside has come inside for those of us who live in Everett and who have businesses here.
In many respects, the local economy has been ruined.
Thousands have been laid off.
Unemployment for those thousands out of work ends the day after Christmas.
Thousands more have become ill. Dozens have died.
The trend right now is soaring numbers of new infections, new hospitalizations, and added deaths.
Many thousands in Everett who have become infected have recovered from the virus only to find that its lingering effects make life miserable.
Those who have recovered remain feeling unhealthy and weak with many discovering new heart conditions among other afflictions caused by the virus.
What to do?
We are told by officials who claim to know and many of those with a great deal of common sense, not to celebrate Thanksgiving the way we usually do.
Why? Because the virus will be spread even more vigorously within our homes with larger groups getting together.
Those of you who wish to ignore the realities we are now facing can do just that. Maybe you get sick. Maybe you make others sick. Maybe you get off free.
That’s no way to confront a virus that can take your life, the life of your parents, and the lives of your grandparents.
The vaccine coming is great news, but it doesn’t bring back the 260,000 who have died.
Another 200,000 are expected to die in the next two months.
We get it.
We can’t shut down the economy to save our lives because everyone in this nation must earn a living.
We are not yet a socialist state in a socialist nation – but we inch closer to that from year to year.
What is needed right now is resolve.
We need to face facts.
We cannot exist economically with a virus running rampant around the nation.
If we don’t crush the virus, it will certainly crush the economy.