by Richard Schulman
It’s Chicken Little time, folks. The sky is falling. Especially in the Sunbelt. Or so the national press would have their readers believe. And now, sadly, California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has been frightened into rolling back the state’s tentative re-opening.
According to the Chicken Little headlines, the Sunbelt states and California are facing a devastating surge in coronavirus cases in mid-summer that no one foresaw.
Oh, really?
Any journalist who gets around the country rather than spending his or her life in a Manhattan cubicle (or sheltering at home in a suburban equivalent) knows that at this time of year, Sunbelt residents spend nearly 24 hours out of the entire 24 indoors under air conditioning.
Indoors or out?
In the Sunbelt states at this time of year, it’s hot as hell and often humid. That’s perfect weather for avoiding the Wuhan virus, provided you’re outside rather than inside soaking up the A.C.
Sunbelt and California governors — and for that matter, governors throughout the US of A — should be telling their constituents to socialize circumspectly all they want outside. But in indoor air conditioned spaces, except in their homes with their own families, they should wear face masks, keep their distance, and minimize their stay.
Can’t journalists put two and two together?
In recent weeks, there were mass demonstrations of tightly packed, shouting demonstrators, with no apparent surge of coronavirus cases in the aftermath. Why? Because the demonstrators were outside in the humid summer heat.
Where are all the A.C.s?
The US is showing much higher coronavirus infection rates currently than elsewhere. Why? Is it Donald Trump? No.
What is the most air-conditioned country in the world? The question answers itself.
Large-group close-up socialization this summer while enjoying the cool, dry air conditioned indoors is no better than riding a packed NY City subway car in March amid mask-less riders, breathing each other’s cool, dry coronavirus-laden exhalations.
You say your restaurant installed HEPA filters to capture and kill the ambient coronavirus microdroplets? As President Reagan famously said: “Trust but verify.” Better yet: use the takeout window and patio tables. Or ask the restaurant owner to open all the windows, keeping the customers uncomfortably sweaty but healthy.
Leave a Reply