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Let cops deal with spoiled brats at the beach

It is difficult, frankly, to view people refusing to join the rest of us in attempting to contain the COVID-19 coronavirus as anything but spoiled brats. The vast majority of them appear to be young. At least reports from our country, such as those of college students packing beaches for spring break, are relatively passive rejection of warnings about the disease. More disturbing and infuriating news is coming from abroad. In Germany, young adults “hold ‘corona parties’ and cough toward older people,” The Associated Press has reported. Other hard-hit countries report ...

Consider sharing spare medical supplies

As health care professionals risk their lives all around us because they lack personal protective gear, we continue to see people out in public — often clearly on non-essential trips — wearing face masks. There have been reports of people buying large quantities of them. If you have the masks and do not really need them — and few of us do — consider giving them to a local hospital or other health care facility. The same goes for other types of protective gear, such as disposable coveralls. Some people really do need the masks to safeguard their own health. Do not judge ...

This could be just the tip of the iceberg

It is likely our awareness of how widespread COVID-19 is in the United States represents only the tip of the iceberg. Until widespread testing kicks in, many among us made by carrying the virus unknowingly, both to themselves and the rest of us. Still, paying attention to what information we do have is important. Self-defense experts advise the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves against any threat is to practice situational awareness. That is, know what hazards are present and how serious they are. For now, then, the greatest danger appears to be in a handful of ...

Looking inward to defend nation from virus

At President Donald Trump’s urging, the United States is adding a sixth branch — the “Space Force” — to our armed forces, in order to defend the vast region beyond our amosphere. Perhaps we should be thinking of inner space, instead. Throughout the nation, public health officials have been scrambling to cope with the COVID-19 epidemic. One challenge has been finding protective equipment for first responders and health care professionals. Special N-95 masks and respirators, along with protective suits, had been in short supply. That raises an obvious question: Why did the ...

Kudos to educators for coronavirus response

When all of this is over, teachers across the state will deserve a raise as well as a pat on the back. When Gov. Doug Burgum closed schools across the state this month in hope of slowing the coronavirus, he also tasked school districts with creating alternate methods of education delivery so kids can continue learning at home during this crisis. Nearly overnight, many teachers will be expected to master online teaching and other types of alternative education during a highly stressful and uncertain time in our history. So far they all seem to be rising to the challenge admirably. ...

Stay home if you are sick

Stay home if you are sick, even if you think it’s just a cold or allergies. It’s the responsible thing to do. Area employers should do all they can for their employees and offer them the opportunity to work from home if that is feasible. That, too, is the responsible thing to do. The North Dakota Health Department and health care facilities across the state all offer a helpful list of symptoms of the novel coronavirus on their websites. The most serious cases may require hospitalization but most people will recover without problems. Still, a sizable number of people who have been ...