Editorial

EDITORIAL - A recent newspaper headline in a rural county in Central California blared the following: “Local virus casualty was a beloved cowboy.” Any reader would immediately draw the conclusion that COVID-19 killed 60-year old Ken Machado of San Benito County. Yet, when one reads the actual news story, this interesting nugget appears:

Diane Machado was careful to emphasize that county health officers who have spoken with the family said that while Ken Machado tested positive for COVID-19 after his death, that does not mean the virus itself took his life. Ken Machado had a number of existing conditions, including Lyme Disease – which he contracted about 20 years ago – and heart disease. His sister and other family members think these underlying conditions were exacerbated by the COVID-19 illness.

EDITORIAL - During my last visit to the grocery store, after directing me to the hermetically sealed conveyor belt, the clerk grinning proudly said, “Welcome to the new normal.” No, thank you. These ad hoc restrictions on our liberties are not normal—at least in the United States of America.

In the name of public health, prisoners have been released from jail, physicians are being restricted in what drugs they can use to treat their COVID-19 patients, and cancer patients are having their treatments delayed as “elective.”

EDITORIAL - When the COVID-19 pandemic eventually passes ( and it will ), we will need to take a serious look at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) and its role in the crisis as well as the CDC’s relationship with the World Health Organization ( WHO )

In recent years, the credibility and reputation of the CDC has taken some major hits, most notably its slow response to the much more deadly Ebola panic of 2014. Despite the appallingly-high death rate associated with Ebola ( up to 90% in some cases ), the CDC dragged its feet in responding to the 2014 outbreak in West Africa. The agency’s initial guidelines were considered too lax and were rejected by 21 states which opted for more restrictive policies, like three-week mandatory quarantines on all health workers returning from West Africa.

RED WAVE - This weekend, I should be preparing to watch our top 25 ranked softball team face San Diego State at Margie Wright Diamond, or our women's basketball team compete in postseason play. Or planning to follow our five wrestlers and our diver who qualified to compete in the NCAA Championships. I was excited about championship runs from our nationally ranked equestrian and water polo programs, and the defense of Mountain West titles by baseball and men's tennis. So much potential. So much excitement. And it was all over in a day.

I hurt for our student-athletes. As someone who has witnessed the hard work and dedication our student-athletes commit every day in the pursuit of athletic excellence, it was upsetting to see their seasons end so abruptly. But, as a parent and Athletics Director, I appreciate and support the steps that we have taken to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes, staff, and fans. With the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, I understand the need to ensure that we do not contribute to the spread of the pandemic and protect all of the people involved in our programs.

EDITORIAL  -  America is shutting down. Restaurants and bars are closing. Businesses are reducing hours. People are being laid off.  Unemployment may reach Great Depression highs.  Store shelves are empty. People are hoarding. The stock market has collapsed. In the short span of just a few weeks, we have descended from a high-flying economy – the envy of the world – into the abyss. We now have a small taste of what it feels like to live in a socialist nation or how things might look if Bernie Sanders becomes President.

Why has this happened? How could it happen? How could the greatest and strongest republic in the history of the world be brought to its knees by a virus that has so far infected a tiny fraction of the number of people who are sickened by influenza annually? Every year, 50,000 Americans die due to the flu or complications related to it ( especially pneumonia ). That’s almost 4,000 people per week during a typical 13-week flu season. The total number of Americans who have died in the four weeks since COVID-19 became a serious public health issue: about 115 or 29 per week.

EDITORIAL - My fellow Maderan's. Over the last few days in an attempt to reduce the risk of illness, MUSD decided to close our schools until April 13th, The Governor issued a statement recommending certain closures and today Madera County made an Emergency Declaration all in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Pandemic should be taken seriously and we should follow the guidelines and rules of the CDC and the Madera Co. Public Health Dept. We must stay ahead of this Virus and learn from those who have experienced much worse results than we have.