Coronavirus common sense: Let's pull together

We are learning a new term this month called “social distancing.”

I suggest that maybe what is really needed is probably “social media distancing.”

Watching the stock market, I could tell early this week things were probably going to start to change in relation to the COVID-19 or coronavirus. I just didn’t realize the wheels were going to come completely off my little red wagon.

With my job at the Chamber of Commerce I dutifully logged on and listened as the governor proclaimed a public health emergency. It appeared the panic button had officially been pressed. By the next day it was official. I didn’t have to finish deciding whether to cancel a couple of events — the state had done it for me.

Trying to stay up with the fast-moving events the rest of the week almost made me wish I would get the virus so I could go home and rest.

This virus is scary stuff because it can kill and it appears to move through a community quickly. With an immuno-suppressed family member it worries me more than most. You bet I’m going to work hard not to bring this bug home to my sweetie but I’m not going to get panicked enough to hoard toilet tissue.

That’s another thing that has me mad about this whole deal — the toilet tissue. I used to sell that stuff for a living and it was a cutthroat business I tell you. I don’t know why I wasn’t around for some of this brand of panic buying.

Schools have been closed and the momentary relief and maybe joy of an extended spring break quickly wore off when folks learned the consequences coming down the line. Those might be a scramble for childcare or even food and a school year that may extend long enough to give a whole new meaning to Independence Day.

It’s time to take a long breath, embrace what is important — our loved ones — and find our path through this mess.

We’re not going to get past this until we stop politicizing this public health emergency and we’re not going to find the answers online or on the television.

Pull together on this thing folks. We have that ability built into our DNA around these parts. Now knock it off and do the common sense things you already know and live your lives and stay healthy.

Karl Terry writes for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at: [email protected]