411 on the Pandemic

 Something I've had trouble with is finding correct information on the virus. Up until this point, I've tried to rely on COVID trackers and any medical institute numbers on positive/recovered cases. I tend to not trust many places on giving the latest and most accurate information because I feel like any number given is just an estimate of what's really going on. There's no possible way that every place that tests for coronavirus submits the data correctly for every test they administer. There is also no true way to keep every case at bay and tracked, because some people may be asymptomatic, there could be false negative tests, and not everyone who has it gets tested. I feel like there are a greater number of cases in the world than what's actually reported, so I try to steer away from any news about it unless it were talking about the virus itself and not data on the number of cases. 

In some way, I believe the lack of accurate information has caused some conflict in my life because I'm very cautious about what I'm doing and where I'm going. I'm never sure of anything, and I've been hesitant to go around some family members in case I were to give it to them (even after testing negative). I believe in the long run, the way the pandemic has become politicized is more dangerous because there could be a LOT of miscommunication in the world. Some people may twist the story or put out false information to get publicized. In my own experience, it seemed odd to me that in March, when there weren't as many cases, everyone was very scared of everything, there was a lockdown, everyone had to wear a mask outside, and there was just all-around chaos for what was coming. Now, in September, it seems as though not as many people are taking it nearly as seriously as they were a few months ago because of how the virus has been politicized. The lockdown was lifted in June, and there was a spike of cases, even with the mask mandate in Kentucky and the nation and even worldwide idea of social distancing. 

It was particularly scary for me working at an amusement park, because almost none of the guests followed the social distancing guidelines, especially in our large wave pool. I was scared of going to work and possibly getting the virus because it had been downplayed by the news and it had been seen as not much of a danger as it had been when the virus first made its appearance in March.