MORE FEAR MIGHT HELP

I think most of us of a certain age are appalled at how the younger folks view Covid 19.  To some of them catching it is either an impossibility or a lark.  Some are even holding contests to see who can get infected first.

I think what might help is if they heard from those in their age group that have gotten it and survived. Those whom I have heard interviewed say they wouldn't wish it on their worst enemy.  But it seems the young are not hearing that message or it isn't repeated enough.

I had a man doing some yard work for me recently and he brought his 20'ish son with him to help.  We kept our distance but there were some things I needed for him to do so I was outside with them.

Being he was local, I asked the father if he had heard about my neighbor having caught the virus. My neighbor is a prominent figure in town and I thought he would know him.  He said he had heard and asked how he was doing.

I told him what an ordeal the middle aged man had gone through. They didn't hospitalize him but made him stay at home. He felt he was dying and sometimes dying didn't seem such a bad idea as the pain was so overwhelming.

I didn't know a human's ears could physically perk up but his young son's did.
"Pain??" he questioned earnestly.

"Yes" I said. "He said it was relentless and nothing helped. He said he felt like he had been run over by a truck and then the truck backed over him to make sure everything was broken."

The boy's eyes got wide and he fervently said,  "I had no idea. Man, I want no part of that."

Covid 19 no longer held the mild threat of just being like a bad cold. He was a believer. Death might not haunt his age group but the fear of pain puts another spin on the disease. One he listened to.

Since the logic of being a good person by avoiding crowds and wearing masks  to prevent the spread hasn't sunk in with the young yet, perhaps fear might work.

Maybe we need more newscasts or better yet YouTube videos about the horrors of the disease and how even the healthy young are affected. I have seen a few TV interviews with some of the younger survivors. They all say it was horrible.  Relentless pain and difficulty breathing seems to make the biggest impression.

It just might keep them out of bars and parties if they heard more of this.  Spreading that message has my vote.

How do you think we might get through to them?