"You don't have a right to jeopardize my health"
Gov. Andrew Cuomo was recently asked about protests that we've seen in some places across the state. He was asked about the fact that so many people are gathering for these things without wearing masks, putting them at risk of spreading the virus further in the community.
"I'm not going to put dollar signs over human lives. I'm not going to do that. Not for my family and not for yours," Cuomo said. "But I understand their point of view, and I understand the First Amendment. You have an argument, you're going to make your argument, God bless America.
"You don't have a right to jeopardize my health. You want to jeopardize your health, God bless you. You don't have the right to jeopardize my health. The mask is not about your health. The mask is about my health, and my children's health."
These statements make no sense. He says, "You have no right to endanger my health" If someone is sheltering in place, how does anything I do, directly affect someone who is inside all day long? The actual chances of someone endangering another person’s life with COVID-19 assume the following:
The "endangerer" actually has the disease
The "endangerer" actually transmits it to someone else
That someone else, becomes infected
That would require direct or close contact. A person going outside to get fresh air and sunshine, by themself, walking in a park, apart for all other human beings does not engager anyone’s health. In fact, it only makes them healthier. I’d flip it around and suggest Cuomo doesn’t have a right to jeopardize the health of a person who is outsize by closing down more and more avenues to remain healthy.
Exercise, the outdoors, and sunshine are essential. The outdoors, exercise, sunshine, and fresh air are all good for people’s immune systems and health, and not so great for viruses. There is a compelling link between exercise and a strong immune system. A lack of vitamin D, which our bodies synthesize when our skin is exposed to the sun, has long been associated with increased susceptibility to respiratory diseases.
The outdoors and sunshine are such strong factors in fighting viral infections that a 2009 study of the extraordinary success of outdoor hospitals during the 1918 influenza epidemic suggested that during the next pandemic, we should encourage “the public to spend as much time outdoors as possible,” as a public-health measure.
Authorities may dig in their heels, but I feel it’s only making things worse. Does Cuomo want everyone to stay indoors indefinitely? Apparently, when we stay at home, we are more likely to become hospitalized.
“If you notice, 18% of the people came from nursing homes, less than 1% came from jail or prison, 2% came from the homeless population, 2% from other congregate facilities, but 66% of the people were at home, which is shocking to us,” Cuomo said.
“This is a surprise: Overwhelmingly, the people were at home,” he added. “We thought maybe they were taking public transportation, and we’ve taken special precautions on public transportation, but actually no, because these people were literally at home.”
Why is he surprised? Again, he makes no sense.
What makes sense is following the science. According to the New York Times, nearly everyone who has had the disease — regardless of age, sex or severity of illness — makes antibodies to the virus.
“This is very good news,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University in New York who was not involved with the work.
Antibodies are immune molecules produced by the body to fight pathogens. The presence of antibodies in the blood typically confers at least some protection against the invader.
Health officials in several countries, including the United States, have hung their hopes on tests that identify coronavirus antibodies to decide who is immune and can go back to work. People who are immune could replace vulnerable individuals, especially in high-transmission settings like hospitals, building what researchers call “shield immunity” in the population.
I feel, as more and more information comes our way, sheltering in place is becoming more of a problem.
A Must Watch
I was a very young kids at the time of these murders. In fact, I was the same age as these kids that were kidnapped and murdered. What a sad story. If you want to know the details of what went on, check this out:
Clayton Craddock is an independent thinker, father of two beautiful children in New York City. He is the drummer of the hit broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University’s School of Business and is a 25 year veteran of the fast paced New York City music scene. He has played drums in a number of hit broadway and off-broadway musicals including “Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical and Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grill. In addition, Clayton has worked on: Footloose, Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.