Still Breathing

 "My mom died from Coronavirus." 

Not true at all, but it certainly would be a way for me to get into the minds and hearts of the five to eleven year olds who saunter about my schoolyard in various stages of masklessness. Over the past year, I have been told by medical experts from this demographic that "kids can't get COVID." I have also been told that "once you've had 'rona, you can't get it again."

These little reminders of the science gap continue to fuel my days. I just got my (feels lump on shoulder) fifth booster. Or something like that. I keep getting shots whenever someone recommends them. I got a flu shot too just to be sure and I'm in the market for a shingles shot in spite of the fact that everyone I know who has gotten one insists it is the toughest of the lot. 

But ultimately a whole lot better than getting shingles. 

Which is really the currency here. Wearing a mask is a great big pain, but the alternative is much, much worse. The tiny threads of knowledge that get passed around about the pandemic that continues to wind its way through our country and our planet make us all complacent. That's a dangerous thing to be during a global pandemic. Even if you "can't get" COVID-19, you can carry it around with you until you land near another willing recipient. And in spite of all our best efforts, kids continue to contract the disease. And some of them die from it. 

Because ultimately it's my job to keep school safe. I would feel nothing but sadness if one of our kids got sick. "I told you so" is a pretty indefensible position when you're a teacher. When you're a teacher, you keep telling them. And telling them. And reminding them. And insisting. 

This position is not always supported by a government that seems anxious to be done with all this disease junk. In one of his less thoughtful moments, President Joe told 60 Minutes that the pandemic is over. What further justification does an eight year old need? I'm just the computer teacher. The President says it's over. What do I know?

Which is the only reason I would even flinch in the direction of telling the story of my mother dying from Coronavirus. It would not be true, except for the dying part, but do they really need to know that? Or maybe I could be one notch more responsible and have them go to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital web site to do a little research on their own. 

And hope they don't end up on Joe Rogan's podcast instead.