covid deaths teaser
Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash
A United Methodist Insight Column
With churches reopened everywhere and people anticipating renewed activities, it can be hard to remember that we are still in the midst of one of the most devastating health crises the world has ever faced: the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed 1 million American lives.
Of all the articles I’ve read recently, perhaps the best at capturing the true scope and horror of COVID-19’s impact has been “In wave after deadly wave, COVID has claimed 1 million lives in the U.S.” by Rob Stein of National Public Radio. Consider these excerpts:
“One million deaths is far more than the number of people who have died from AIDS in the U.S. since that pandemic began decades ago, and more than died from the 1918-1919 flu pandemic. It's about the population of San Jose, Calif., the nation's 10th largest city.
"’It's one of these things where the numbers are just so large, it's hard to even wrap your head around it,’ says Jennifer Nuzzo, a Brown University epidemiologist. ‘It's just unfathomable to think that those are people — loved ones — who are now missing from this earth. It's really, really hard to comprehend.’
“So many people died from COVID-19 that a disease that didn't exist three years ago became the third leading cause of death in this country, after heart disease and cancer.
“So many died in the prime of their lives that the U.S. experienced the biggest drop in life expectancy since World War II, dropping to the lowest in more than a quarter-century.
“…To compound the tragedy, experts agree that 1 million underestimates how many people have actually died from COVID-19 — many deaths went unrecorded or were attributed to other causes.”
Stein reports that the impact of the pandemic has faded for many people. “Experts say there are many reasons for this. A big part of it is that people are just exhausted, utterly depleted from two very long years of hiding from the virus, living in fear and watching so many parts of their lives get devastated.
“…What most people have seen up close is how the pandemic has disrupted their lives by, for example, preventing them from visiting elderly parents, going to college, seeing friends, traveling or keeping a job.”
Even with vaccines, experts estimate that tens of thousands of people could still get seriously ill and die because millions of people aren’t vaccinated. Plus, as with the most recent Omicron variant, possibly even more deadly variants can emerge.
The seismic event of the coronavirus pandemic both nationally and worldwide will continue to affect us for years to come. Much as we want to return to “normal,” the life we knew before COVID-19 is gone. We must mourn those we’ve lost, journey through our grief, and live in the new reality that has been created. Be sure to read all of Rob Stein’s article to understand why.
Online concerns around the abortion issue
The possible overturn of Roe v. Wade has brought up many concerns about its potential effects on the health of women of color and low-income women. Both The Conversation website and Anti Racism Daily newsletter highlighted the special risk of privacy invasion of women who may used online research to get abortions.
In “Online data could be used against people seeking abortions if Roe v. Wade falls,” Nora McDonald, assistant professor of information technology at the University of Cincinnati, writes: “Anyone in a state where abortion becomes illegal who relies on the internet for information, products and services related to reproductive health would be subject to online policing.”
Nicole Cardoza of Anti-Racism Daily writes: “The fight against Roe v. Wade underscores how digital surveillance can be used to incriminate people seeking abortion care. But if states choose to criminalize abortion, as lawmakers in Louisiana are trying to do, it could mean that data on fertility tracking and abortion searches are open to investigation. And even without criminal laws, this publicly accessible data can be used to sue abortion providers or harass those seeking abortions.”
Her newsletter cites these key takeaways:
- The fight against Roe v. Wade underscores how digital surveillance can be used to incriminate people seeking abortion care.
- Digital access to abortion care, especially self-managed medication abortions, is critical – especially for marginalized people.
- We must advocate for more transparent and progressive uses of our data by major tech companies.
Cardoza also writes about the threat of reproductive suppression, again especially a hazard for marginalized women: “It’s essential to educate ourselves and amplify stories of reproductive suppression and how it’s been disproportionately waged on marginalized child-carrying people.”
From National Public Radio: “About two-thirds of Americans don't support overturning Roe v. Wade, but seven in 10 are in favor of some restrictions on abortion rights, according to a new NPR poll. The leaked Supreme Court decision brought the abortion fight into the spotlight, and it's inspiring Democratic voters; two-thirds say they'll be more likely to vote in November.”
Churches feed grieving Buffalo residents
Churches are stepping up to feed the east Buffalo community where an 18-year-old gunman killed 10 people at a Tops supermarket, reports NPR. The police investigation has shut down the store for the foreseeable future, leaving the residents in a food desert without a place to buy fresh food.
Meanwhile, residents grieve those who died:
- Roberta A. Drury, 32, of Buffalo
- Margus D. Morrison, 52, of Buffalo
- Andre Mackniel, 53, of Auburn, New York
- Aaron Salter, 55, of Lockport, New York
- Geraldine Talley, 62, of Buffalo
- Celestine Chaney, 65, of Buffalo
- Heyward Patterson, 67, of Buffalo
- Katherine Massey, 72, of Buffalo
- Pearl Young, 77, of Buffalo
- Ruth Whitfield, 86, of Buffalo
Those injured included:
- Zaire Goodman, 20, of Buffalo, was treated and released from hospital
- Jennifer Warrington, 50, of Tonawanda, New York, was treated and released from hospital
- Christopher Braden, 55, of Lackawanna, New York, had non-life-threatening injuries
Media Mentions as of May 19, 2022
Aurora church's display spotlights missing, murdered indigenous women - Daily Herald
Yorktown church gears up for cross-country biking trip to raise money for affordable housing – Daily Press
Methodism slowly divides | WORLD - WNG.org
Expect some changes this year at the Oklahoma Methodists' Annual Conference - The Oklahoman
Dallas food pantry's mission: 'We want to be a safety net, but also to lift people out' – Dallas Morning News
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.