Did you know a clinic in Los Angeles has been cited for sending a $2,000 bill for COVID-19 testing to a patient’s insurance company?
The World Economic Forum has said the COVID-19 pandemic will likely end up costing between $8.1 trillion and $15.8 trillion globally.
Estimated costs for a yet un-known COVID-19 vaccine range from $500 to $2,000. Vaccinating the entire U.S. population could cost $150 billion.
That’s the business side, taxpayer side and political side of COVID-19; let’s talk about how it has affected your life.
The mask
I balk at wearing a mask.
I grew up watching westerns and the bad guys always wore masks. And while I graduated from Moo-U, I am a rebel at heart.
But I am also from the South where courtesy and politeness still have meaning. I gladly put on a mask in the presence of others.
Y’all should, too!
School
I had a friend who had a motorcycle accident in the fifth grade and he was out of school for a semester.
Stevie never made it up. They held him back a year, he struggled in high school and while the rest of his siblings went on to college, Stevie didn’t make it.
I worry about that for your children.
I have one son left in college and he is taking five classes on-line this semester.
On-line classes or "distance learning' are the new norm for college students who typically can invest in computers and internet services.
That’s not the norm in the Mississippi Delta.
Can you imagine typing your 7th grade research paper on a cell phone?
Can you imagine being told to read a chemistry lesson or algebra lesson and then finish the worksheet?
It has been estimated we will see an 8.7 percent rise in incarceration over the next 10 years as the under-educated and left-behind turn to crime.
Church
Have you been going to church regularly? More importantly have you been sending in your tithe?
There is a business side to churches, but more importantly there is a benevolence side to people of faith.
Our churches feed a lot of people, help with doctor bills, keep the electricity on and take the edge off so much suffering in this world
As the money put in the church offering plate drops, the food put on the plates of needy people in Clarksdale also drops.
Jobs
Your Clarksdale Press Register has kept the light on during the past five months. And just like you, some months have been better than others.
We are blessed none of our employees have been sick or missed a paycheck.
You can’t say that about all of Clarksdale. Hometown restaurants, hotels and mom-and-pop stores have been hurt the most.
In this time of social distancing and so much unwarranted fear, let me encourage you to go in a local store, smile and spend a few bucks.
That single-mom who is your waitress will appreciate your tip. That store clerk will appreciate your purchase. Our community will benefit, too.
Floyd Ingram is the Editor of your Clarksdale Press Register. He works hard, prays hard, wears his mask and is always glad to discuss news and events at his office at 128 E. Second in Downtown Clarksdale. And please wear your mask.
