Stay safe…

We got impatient, we started venturing out, we opened too soon and now we are paying the price.  Like many other states that opened too soon, Arizona is backtracking and shutting down again due to the spike in cases and our hospitals capacity to handle our surge of cases.   Back when we opened, our excuse was that businesses have been shut too long, this is their livelihood, and the economy must be revived.  Data and science warned us that we are opening too soon, we will likely have to shut down again as a result of our actions and the long-term impact of a second shut down will be far worse than letting the first last a little longer.  But we closed our eyes to data and science and said we will take our chances.  
    The pandemic is not getting better, the summer months did not make COVID-19 disappear like the flu, and there is no end in sight.  At some point, we will have to accept that this is serious and it is not going away.  Maybe a cure will be found, maybe a vaccine will be created, but the timing of all that is unknown.  At this point, our only option is to adapt to our new normal.  If going out means wearing a mask to protect yourselves and others, so be it.  Maybe we are wrong, maybe wearing a mask doesn’t help but it definitely doesn’t hurt.  So I still don’t understand the debate.  
Even if there’s a small chance that wearing a mask means I may save a single life, isn’t it worth taking?Isn’t a human life more important than your desire and personal preference not to wear a mask?  You can open up all the businesses you want, revive the economy to the best of its ability but making that successful depends on customers feeling comfortable enough to come out of their houses to support that business and economy.  
Let’s be honest, no one cares about the rules in our State.  Those that want to be careful will wear masks regardless and those that don’t will not.  But guess what impact that actually has?   Even if businesses re-open, the people not willing to wear masks will make those that want to be careful less likely to come out and help contribute to the struggling economy and businesses.  And that is a large percentage of the spending customer base not contributing to the economy and our local businesses.  So all your protests about the politicians and governments hurting these businesses and not caring about the economic impact this will have, they should all be directed towards those unwilling to make a small personal sacrifice like wearing a mask to make those around them more comfortable stepping out of their homes.
Stay safe, protect yourselves, protect others – mask up Arizona and let’s do the right thing.  Put the politics, the pettiness, the personal preference around and limit the spread!  Life is too precious and the risk just isn’t worth taking.  Hoping you and your loved ones are well during these difficult times!