From: Greg Dinkins
Columbus
This is a very scary time with the COVID-19 virus continuing to spread and more people infected and more deaths every day. The most frightening part of this pandemic is that, currently, we have no way of knowing who are ‘carriers.’ The only tests being administered are for those who ‘show symptoms.’ Many of those who test positive are asymptomatic. That means they are carriers and can transmit the virus to other people. Our president has stated that we have millions of test available. But millions of people are not being tested. Of course, our president says a lot of things that are not really true, but that is not the issue.
There could be millions of people that have the virus, but no symptoms, that we come into contact with daily. They don’t know they have the virus but they are the carriers and can spread the virus without knowing it. Therefore I think that the United States needs to take the lead to shut down this epidemic. The only way I see that this is possible is to administer a test to everyone. I know this sounds like an impossible mountain to climb, but it is the only way to stop this pandemic.
I will give you an example. A friend of mine that lives in a controlled environment was tested positive but was asymptomatic. For their health and the health protection of others they were put in quarantined quarters. That person tested positive a second time (again with no symptoms) and remains in quarantined quarters. This is in a facility that tests every person on a regular basis. Now think about how many people in our community are not in a controlled environment? How many of us may have the virus but not know it? If I were infected but I didn’t know it, while I am wearing a mask and social distancing, have I given a cashier a $20 dollar bill and they became infected?
The answer to stopping this plague is to test everyone. Our president says we have millions of tests. Our country needs to get them distributed and into use. If we, as I believe, we don’t have millions of tests available we need to get them and test everyone in our country as well as those entering our country. Congress has already given each person in this country $1,200. It would cost far less than that per person to test everyone.
Keep in mind, you may be a carrier and not even know it so stay safe, wear a mask and keep your distance. If we, as a nation, pull together, realize the size of the potential devastation we are facing and with the proper guidance and help from our government, we will get through this. But understand it needs to be all of us working together and, most importantly, leadership by our government.
