The way of fools

Recently overheard…two young men having a simple, but chilling conversation.

‘After 4 months  – we seem to be winning the battle over Covid-19’ the young man boasted. ‘Well’ said his slightly wiser friend ‘We are doing OK…except for Victoria….and the rest of the world.’

Science is only in the earliest stages of understanding Covid-19. Experience seems to be suggesting that Covid flourishes in the arrogant belief that there is no longer a problem. 

One country boasted a couple of weeks back that it was Covid free and that they were all going to the rugby. Weeks later the numbers were up as two elderly ladies, returning from overseas secured an early release from quarantine on compassionate grounds, but accidentally became spreaders.

Australia successfully flattened the curve but now Victoria is showing us that the virus is crouching at the door – waiting for one foolish, careless or even unlucky act.

When a politician says ‘The virus will soon, simply, go away’ we should pray that he might be right. But we must act on the assumption that he is wrong and continue to practice social distancing, hand hygiene, being tested if we have symptoms, wearing masks in crowds and following the medical advice.

When a scientist promises us that a vaccine will be developed, we should hope and pray that she is right. But we need to be aware that at the moment people are still dying, that we have no vaccine, treatment or cure and that the only weapons we have in our arsenal are our own responses and actions.

Franklin D Roosevelt famously said at the height of the Great Depression ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself’

Four months into the GHC (Global Health Crisis) 2020 the lesson might just be the exact opposite. Our greatest threat is when we no longer think that Covid is our greatest threat.

The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. Proverbs 12:15