Potentially, one Churchgoer exposed 180 others to COVID-19
Written by Jimmie Burroughs
You have probably heard the news of one churchgoer, who later checked positive for COVID-19, potentially exposing 180 others who were attending a Mother’s Day service. We at our church have missed several services including Easter and Mother’s Day, and that is the one thing missed the most concerning the COVID-19 quarantine, not being able to attend church services. Up until the pandemic, my wife and I seldom missed a service. It is easy to do without most of the other things like movies, restaurants, concerts, or sporting events. That is just me; others may feel differently; however, it seems strange that so many churchgoers are complaining about being restricted from attending church, or even ignoring it and attending services anyway when it is so obvious that it is dangerous to themselves as well as others. abstaining from large gatherings is not a matter of being fearful or not trusting God; it is a matter of using good sense and being concerned about the welfare of others.
The mosaic law, given to Moses by the Lord in the Old Testament, required those with the symptoms of leprosy to be quarantined 14 days and then to be examined by a priest to determine if they had leprosy, and if they did, they were to be isolated from the camp: Leviticus 13:48 – “…His dwelling shall be outside the camp.” Neither were they allowed to come into the tabernacle. Leprosy was still prominent in the New Testament, so this practice was also carried out in those days. By the way, leprosy is nowhere near as contagious as COVID-19. It should be no different today; it is wrong for anyone to potentially endanger someone else with a deadly disease like COVID-19 or knowingly put themselves or their family in harm’s way.
If we don’t abide by the conditions that defeat the spread of the disease, it will only prolong the time we can safely meet in groups. Some refuse to do something as simple as wearing a face mask, to primarily protect others, which can reduce the spread of COVID-19. The guidelines that medical professionals, in conjunction with governments, have ordained is not an attempt to take away our freedom; it is to protect us and others from contracting a disease that can make us terribly sick, often requiring hospitalization with great expense, or even causing death. Here is how effective the lock down is: “If the United States had begun imposing social distancing measures one week earlier than it did in March, about 36,000 fewer people would have died in the coronavirus outbreak, according to new estimates from Columbia University disease modelers.”
Many have already paid with their lives for refusing any kind of restrictions to their ordinary way of life, and in the process have also endangered others. We know and understand how that people want to live their lives, but not being willing and flexible enough to sacrifice a little now can hinder them form having a future life.
We also understand that we can’t continue in a shutdown mode. People need to work to provide for themselves and family. Neither can the economy sustain a continued shutdown. There is a lot at stake including the integrity of this country, and we know that the present way is not sustainable for the long run. This statement appeared recently on the Internet: “During a Senate Banking Committee hearing, conducted by videoconference on April 20, Sen. Sherrod Brown pressed U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on the White House’s push to rapidly reopen parts of the economy even as health care advisers have urged more caution. ‘How many workers should give their lives to increase our [gross domestic product] by half a percent?’ Brown asked Mnuchin.” That seems to be the important question, a delicate balance between saving the economy and avoiding the loss of additional lives. Obviously, both are extremely important issues. If slowly reopening the economy proves to be the right thing, it still requires each of us to cooperate and do our part to defeat this terrible, unseen enemy, so it will open the way for things to get back to normal as quick as possible. Hopefully, there will be a cure to the disease in the near future.
Several vaccines are now in the testing stage. There is a tremendous effort being put forth to discover a cure for COVID-19. Sorrento Therapeutics, a California biopharmaceutical company, claims to have discovered a coronavirus antibody breakthrough. According to tests, it is 100% effective. When injected, it keeps COVID-19 from entering the body cells and then flushes it out of the body. Those who receive the injection are immune to the virus and can continue life as normal. They expressed hope that the treatment will receive quick approval from the FDA. They said that they can provide up to 200,000 doses per month and are looking to produce tens of millions more to meet projected demands. Let us pray this will pan out, but in the meantime, we need to continue to protect ourselves and others as best we can.
As states begin to open, it is hopeful that churches will not be discriminated against. The Department of Justice has warned California about opening restaurants and other businesses without giving the same rights to churches. Keep being safe and may God bless you.