Purple COVID 19
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A United Methodist Insight Column
Improbable as it may seem after nearly a year of the coronavirus pandemic, we’re still struggling with misinformation about the disease and its effects. To help congregations spread the truth, here are some COVID-19 notes.
By the numbers: In an article headlined 6 Numbers That Show President Biden’s Greatest Challenges, National Public Radio reports, “The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects that more than 566,000 Americans will be dead from the coronavirus by May 1. Even with universal mask-wearing and a rapid vaccine rollout, at least 500,000 are projected to have died by then.” So be as safe as possible; keep up virtual worship, wear a mask, wash your hands and pray.
Faulty statistic: Katie Way of VICE writes in What to Say if Someone Wrongly Claims ‘99 Percent of People Survive COVID’, “When someone brings COVID’s ‘low’ mortality rate into the conversation, however, they’re missing a few major pieces of the puzzle, deliberately or not. The biggest one? The ‘99 percent’ stat just isn’t true—according to an Associated Press fact-check, scientists are still trying to determine COVID’s ‘infection fatality rate,’ and the 99 percent stat stems largely from May 2020 analysis that has yet to be peer-reviewed or even published. Instead, it’s been twisted by people whose interests lie in pretending COVID-19 doesn’t exist. It also doesn’t gel with what we’ve already experienced in the U.S.: We’ve had an estimated 25,300,000 COVID cases as of this writing, with 421,000 deaths attributed to the virus—more than 1.5 times the supposed 1 percent mortality rate.
“This 99 percent stat also doesn’t deal with the aforementioned medical resources issue: COVID appears pretty survivable, with perfect healthcare for severe cases. But many deaths have resulted from the fact that, when we have more people who need treatment in hospitals than we have hospital beds open, people die who might have otherwise survived with treatment, just because too many people are sick at the same time.”
The Doomsday Clock: The 75-year-old gauge of global vulnerability kept by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists now stands at 100 minutes to midnight thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. According to the organization’s press release, “The COVID-19 pandemic will end up killing well over two million people around the globe. The mishandling of this grave global health crisis is a ‘wake-up call’ that governments, institutions, and a misled public remain unprepared to handle the even greater threats posed by nuclear war and climate change. Given this and the lack of progress in 2020 in dealing with nuclear and climate perils, the Doomsday Clock remains as close to midnight as it has ever been – just 100 seconds to midnight.
“Founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein and University of Chicago scientists who helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists created the Doomsday Clock two years later, using the imagery of apocalypse (midnight) and the contemporary idiom of nuclear explosion (countdown to zero) to convey threats to humanity and the planet. Over time, the Clock has become a universally recognized indicator of the world’s vulnerability to catastrophe from nuclear weapons, climate change, and disruptive technologies in other domains.”
Tips for Ash Wednesday during COVID-19: Ash Wednesday falls on Feb. 17 this year, but the coronavirus pandemic will put a crimp in the traditional ritual of smearing ashes on penitents’ foreheads to signify repentance. Discipleship Ministries offers suggestions for alternative scenarios ranging from completely virtual services through outside or drive-through worship to physically distanced in-person worship. The first alternative is about as safe as churches could get these days, and the last is the most hazardous, even with scrupulous health protocols of masks, gloves and sanitizers. A lot will depend on how rampant COVID-19 is in your area, so check with local public health officials when deciding how to observe Ash Wednesday.
More Ash Wednesday Tips: UM News reports, “With COVID-19 still a threat, worship leaders are urging increased caution in observing Ash Wednesday on Feb. 17. An ecumenical team convened by three United Methodists, two of them from Candler School of Theology, produced a six-page guide to reduce health risks as Christians mark the start of Lent. The guide draws on a range of experts, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Read guide”
Media Mentions as of Jan. 27, 2020
Are Spiritual Well-being and Social Support One and the Same? – Psychology Today
Judge refuses to toss case against defiant Louisiana pastor – The Associated Press
Harriet Tubman: Biden revives plan to put a Black woman of faith on the $20 bill – The Conversation
I witnessed the rise of Nazism firsthand. We must act now to protect American democracy – CNN
No more lies. My grandfather was a Nazi – The New York Times *
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Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.