Minerva's Breakdown: Advice for those on the verge - Love in the time of COVID-19

Dear Minerva:

My son (I’ll call him “Tad”) is 17 and asked me the day after the shelter in place order if he could visit his girlfriend. It’s probably the first time that I’ve told him “no” to almost anything (within reason). Love is important and going to your lover’s house is so much better than almost anything. I asked him to ask his mom, who lives in California, what she thinks and, if she was ok with this, I might reconsider. Is it responsible for us to let him go to a non-essential meeting with anyone? He did not call his mom so I told him, I know a person that can help, so please, help me, Minerva!

Sincerely,

Love in the time of COVID-19

Dear “Tad”:

I know your love is strong. You’re young and confident. While you may not be part of the most vulnerable populations affected by COVID-19, the more people you are around, the more you risk exposure to the virus. Even if you don’t experience symptoms, you can still put others in danger. You could unknowingly bring the virus into your girlfriend’s home, passing it along to her and her loved ones, exposing them to a very serious, life-threatening illness. Fortunately, in 2020, there are many ways to stay connected without being physically in the same room. Get creative by Facetiming/Zooming with her daily to check in. Make her a romantic Tik-Tok. The saying “Distance makes the heart grow fonder” is absolutely true. Take this time to build a foundation for your relationship. When you can safely reunite, you’ll have supported each other in a legendary way. This pandemic tests our character. Step up to the plate. It’s the most responsible, mature thing that a man can do. What is cooler than that? Listen to your dad. He knows what’s up! We’re all in this together and teamwork makes the dream work!