CoVID-19 day 49

So we have a new message, one we can all rally round. It’s very simple for us simple folk. Thank goodness. Let’s all get behind this as we look towards exiting the lockdown and getting back to normal. The message is:

Stay alert | Control the virus | Save lives

Stay alert: to what? What am I looking out for? What does such an action look like or is it just putting a responsibility on me that I can’t define so if stuff goes tits up it was probably me not being on the ball that was the problem.

Control the virus: how? Well silly me, I’ve got to keep washing my hands, staying in the house, social distancing and sneezing into my elbow. Then there’s taking exercise just once a day, keeping 2m apart and only shopping for necessities. I’m sure there’s other stuff but now I’m getting distracted instead of staying alert. Maybe I should skip this one.

Save lives: now I’m totally confused. Is this on top of staying alert and controlling something I can’t see, touch or smell? Or am I just reading this wrong. Is this simply the consequence of staying alert and fighting the virus. Sorry, it didn’t say ‘fighting’ did it? What did it say?

I remember it saying stay alert so I’ll just stick to that. Rather than getting on with my day to day life and staying sane (obviously very selfish) I’ll feed my neurosis and imagine nasty bugs in every crevice and on every surface. Hopefully that will keep me from spreading the virus. That evil bug won’t defeat me. This nazi virus won’t have me beat. Go ahead punk, make my day.

Yeah, great message: stay hyper, distrust everyone and shoot the bastards. Got it. Now everyone will be safe. Keep It Simply Stupid.