The rise of COVID-19 is scary for a lot of reasons, but I’d say the biggest thing freaking me out is how some people think they can party through a virus. This isn’t like a hurricane or tornado that passes through. It makes sense after a natural disaster for people to come together, show their solidarity, and find ways to celebrate life.
A party doesn’t create more hurricane. It does create more cases of people with a wildly contagious disease. The best way to fight the new coronavirus is to stay home, stay healthy, and slow the spread.
But a certain subset of people is seeing that as a challenge rather than a public health imperative. While NYC and Los Angeles have announced closures of movie theaters, restaurants, and night clubs, some places have not yet grappled with the changing reality.
Someone calling themselves Janna Abraham on Twitter posted a video of what she says is in Nashville, showing the crowd partying to a band this weekend, possibly Sunday night. She captioned it, “Downtown Nashville is undefeated.”
Downtown Nashville is undefeated. pic.twitter.com/BFIOzukFct
— Janna Abraham (@SportsPundette) March 15, 2020
If we’re talking in competition terminology, we’re not seeing a group of people win, we’re seeing them throw their defense down the toilet. COVID-19 isn’t thinking, “Wow, these people are really brave to come and face me like this. Respect.”
It’s not thinking at all. It’s a virus looking for bodies to infect, and even if everyone in that audience is young and healthy, they could contract it and pass it on to someone at home who isn’t. They could take up a hospital bed that leaves somebody else unable to receive treatment. They could never fully recover themselves from serious lung damage.
But that’s the point everyone is trying to make:
Downtown Nashville is incredibly ignorant.
“Hey, let’s prove how ‘free’ we are by all going out and killing each other.'”
The mass wilful ignorance I’m seeing from some quarters in America is disturbing. https://t.co/mNjQLXXsUz
— Chris (@goingglocal) March 16, 2020
This is frightening
— Lilia Luciano (@lilialuciano) March 16, 2020
These are the facilities in Nashville with ventilators. Your grandparents will need to know this. pic.twitter.com/01AQgqhyFW
— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) March 15, 2020
I work for one of our local hospitals here in Nashville. I love lower Broadway as much as the next person but I saw these images and I was mortified.
— ResistNashVegas (@acreworks) March 16, 2020
As a nurse who has to treat the elderly who get infected just going to the grocery to get the essentials and the idiots who go partying and say “FTW It won’t affect me” the same when they are in my ICU, this hurts my heart.
— Lisa (@Bruja_Lala) March 16, 2020
It’s distressing that fully one third of the country doesn’t believe in basic science.
— Rick Ball (@ricoball) March 15, 2020
Weaponized ignorance combined with delusional arrogance https://t.co/g5CrjzkLRb
— David Pakman (@dpakman) March 16, 2020
No, downtown Nashville is dangerously stupid.
Pandemic experts have told us to avoid crowds and to self-quarantine.
They’ve told us that we can carry the virus and pass it to others for TEN DAYS before showing symptoms.
They’ve said doing this can save thousands of lives. https://t.co/fmVseO1KQx
— Aaron Mahnke (@amahnke) March 15, 2020
https://t.co/aluK0fM2k4 pic.twitter.com/HEjzFpdfMU
— Jason Mustian (@jasonmustian) March 15, 2020
We have many lessons from history, & one of them is the 1918 Liberty Loan Parade in Philadelphia, which was held against the advice of medical professionals during the flu pandemic. People had a great time! Awesome parade! So fun!
A week later, thousands of onlookers were dead. https://t.co/gt544X2Wah
— Elizabeth May (@_ElizabethMay) March 15, 2020
With terrorists, not acting terrorized shows they didn’t “defeat” you because their goal is to terrorize you
With a freakin’ virus, IT DOESN’T CARE. This like saying “wildfires won’t defeat us” and then lighting your own hair on fire. That’ll show fire who’s boss! https://t.co/jyQwCC1ECR
— David Burbach (@dburbach) March 15, 2020
This is why Italy and Spain had to shut down everything except grocery stores & pharmacies.
Because humans are, at their core, terrible at calculating risk & at self-sacrificing behavior for the collective good. https://t.co/00ed9QkiIx
— Rachel “The Doc” Bitecofer 📈🔭🍌 (@RachelBitecofer) March 15, 2020
Partygoers in Nashville bravely and defiantly endangering the elderly https://t.co/W2hhSoRgdr
— Richard Hall (@_RichardHall) March 15, 2020
Y’all are gonna die 😞
— Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” Wilson (@MaraWilson) March 15, 2020
Anyone in this bar who contracts Covid gets no sympathy
— 🇨🇦 Foobz 🇨🇦 (@andrew_faubert) March 15, 2020
We have 17 cases here in Nashville and climbing
— Cajun Rogue🌊🌊🌊⚜️⚜️⚜️#ElectWomen (@janrobinjackson) March 15, 2020
Seriously. pic.twitter.com/QibxmD1w19
— Flatten the Curve 2020 (@bamamanah) March 15, 2020
that’s what your hospitals are going to look like in a few weeks.
Congrats!— Art Martin (@gartmartin9) March 15, 2020
One month from now:
Downtown Nashville is defeated. pic.twitter.com/08xz2DiddC
— Robbie Wallis (@Robbie_Wallis1) March 15, 2020
Not art.
— Art Or Not Art (@ArtDecider) March 15, 2020
Look, now is the time for caution. The best way to stay undefeated is to stay home and stream some line dancing in the living room.
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