Texas had ample equipment to treat the Corona virus. The largest problem they had in terms of caring for Covid-19 patients was that there were not enough trained nurses and respiratory therapists to take care of the many people that were infected. However, Texas pulled their weight by practicing social distancing, wearing masks and staying at home. Doing this reduced the spread of the virus until it all went downhill when people started partying on Independence Day. This caused a spike in the amount of cases that they had and shows how much impact the decisions that people make have on the community.
The individual choices that people make impact society in the time of a pandemic. Whether the choices are safe and precautious or reckless and threatening, it impacts everyone that surrounds them. For example, by wearing a mask, one protects themselves from spreading or catching anything from those around them. If one chooses to not wear a mask, it poses a risk of catching and/or spreading the virus. The ideals of “freedom” and “independence” clash with the necessities of communal effort in a national crisis because people use those terms when protesting to not wear a mask or stay at home to help with the spread of the virus. In order to lessen the impact and reduce spread, people must refrain from leaving their houses and at least wear a mask when going outside. If not everyone chooses to participate in doing such actions, it poses a risk to everyone who goes outside, whether it be an emergency or not. In Hotel Corona, people were doing activities and hanging out together with no mask. They did this because everyone was already infected with the virus. By having everyone with the virus stay inside the hotel and being with others who are already infected, it stops the spread to the people on the outside who do not have the virus. We can learn from Hotel Corona that by coming together and following the rules, there is still space to have fun and connect with others but also help the community. By doing so it makes other people’s lives and society less difficult.
In my opinion I think it all starts from the higher power. If the president, govenors, etc were to put orders in place to help stop the spread, people would be forced to follow it and it can help save the lives of many. However, in order for a community to thrive, all members must be on board. If everyone is trying to help stop the spread and people decide to go against what they have to do, it just makes it harder on themselves and others.
I agree with your final statement; that change is best created when those at the very top and bottom of society strive for it. However, I think that often times we as citizens do have a lot of agency within society if people choose to come together as one voice, as compared to those at the very top.
I agree that it is the governments duty to create incentives for people to practice social distancing and wear masks when outside, such as being fined or arrested for not wearing a mask in public or joining large gathering where people are not socially distant and are not wearing masks. However, it is still the individuals choice to be swayed from these incentives or not. In a perfect world everyone would act in a way which supports the entire community’s best interest but, unfortunately, the reality is not everyone thinks in that manner. Thus, as you said, make it harder on themselves and others.
I agree in that governments should most definitely be taking a stronger initiative to regulate social distancing and mask wearing, but I also agree with Ekaterina that the power still lies with the individual and whether or not they choose to follow the rules. However, I think that by implementing rules such as fines or arrests, it would enhance the situation we have here in America, but sadly, the person in charge does not even wear a mask himself so even that would be asking for too much.