Staying apart together: COVID-19 style

O
nly a week ago, people in Wyoming were still able to enjoy the luxury of arguing about the seriousness of the worldwide pandemic spawned by the coronavirus, and how much impact it would really have on our lives.
The days since the announcement of Wyoming’s first confirmed case of COVID-19 have erased any doubts we may have had over whether or not the virus would impact our lives, and while the ultimate ‘seriousness’ of this pandemic can still be argued at some point, there is no longer a need to have those arguments now.
Wyoming has joined the rest of the nation in imposing quarantine measures to discourage large
gatherings through closures and cancellations, and the war against the coronavirus has begun.
Whether you signed up to fight in this war or not is irrelevant. Whether you believe this war is necessary or not doesn’t matter - at least not at this moment. The war has begun, our leaders have identified the strategy that will be employed to win the war, and we will enjoy the fruits of that victory much sooner if we all take those marching orders seriously and follow them to the best of our ability.
In other words, we’re going to get through this much more quickly if we can come together…and commit ourselves to staying away from
each other.
Many of us have been forced to make sacrifices already, and we are truly sorry for the students and athletes who have lost the opportunity to participate in milestone events that were cancelled. We feel sorrow for those individuals and families who planned trips or get-togethers that have been postponed, and we are especially concerned for those who are being temporarily put out of work due to this crisis. We also pray for the well-being of those
professionals in healthcare and
emergency services who will be on the front line as this war rages.
But we have all been given an opportunity to do more than just offer sympathy to those whose lives are most impacted by the virus and our response to it. Through our own words and deeds we can honor those who have already sacrificed and show our respect to those who are putting themselves at risk by truly committing to the personal sacrifices we should all be making to ensure COVID-19 runs its course as quickly as possible and produces the least amount of harm.
The best thing we can do for all of them - and all of us - is work together to speed this thing along, and we will do our best work if we all trust that we are on the same team and working together.
So let’s set our arguments and points-of-view on the response to this crisis aside for now. Such disputes are senseless at the moment because the information regarding this pandemic is changing too rapidly. The discussions will be far more productive after this has run its course, data has been collected and the impact of the different responses in different parts of the world can
be compared.
Until then, the dispute is nothing more than a distraction from the job at hand, and it is a job we need to
do well.
It is also important to note that, while it is hard for us to truly understand the historic event we find ourselves a part of, it is even more difficult for our children to
comprehend what is going on right now, but they know what is happening is unusual.
Please continue to provide them with reassurances that this will pass in time, and make every effort to fill that time with positive and fulfilling activities for your whole family. While it is best to avoid large
gatherings and public spaces that may attract crowds, there is no better time to play outside in your yard or go for a walk in the country. On those days when the weather is not suitable for outdoor activities, take advantage of the opportunity to read together, dust off some board games or have a movie marathon.
We often talk about how good things were in the old days, and how much we miss some of the rituals of family life that have gone away as life becomes less and less isolated. Perhaps the blessing behind the curse of COVID-19 is the
opportunity forced isolation gives us to return to former habits and embrace the old rituals that were about to disappear.