VIRUS: Pay now or…

Having trouble understanding COVID-19? Think about watching a tall tree being cut. At first you hardly see it move. But that’s the time to take cover, because in seconds that tree will come at you a hundred miles an hour.

The U.S. reported its first case on Jan. 20 and in days a handful of people had it. New York had one case on March 1. Now, hospitals there are swamped with people starting to die from lack of medical equipment.

Fortunately, Idaho is not New York, but our tree is also tilting. In a couple of weeks, we too could have hospital beds in the hall and people unable to get in even for car wrecks and heart attacks.

If we use our precious few days to look up and see the problem, if we stay home, social distance, sanitize, etc., it will just slow the spread and allow sick people to get better treatment. That will be better for the economy in the long run. It will be a week or two before we really see the wisdom in our governor’s warning and actions, but that would be too late to do anything.

Folks, look up from your ordinary routine. Pay attention. Do what needs to be done. Right now! “Timberrrr!”

MIKE BULLARD

Coeur d’Alene