From Wednesday, July 22-Saturday, July 25, the Wright County Health Department reported three more positive cases of COVID-19.
The county has had 54 cases since reporting began with 49 people out of isolation and just five current residents in isolation.
No public exposures were identified.
While locally the numbers remain relatively low, statewide numbers continue to increase.
This past Saturday marked five days in a row of at least 1,000 new COVID-19 cases.
Missouri had new records daily from July 21-July 24 with Friday setting a new high for cases reported for a single day at 1,652.
As of Sunday, July 26, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is reporting 40,709 confirmed COVID-19 cases and a total of 1,182 deaths.
Regardless of your take on the validity of these positive tests, the coronavirus and our battle with it is not going anywhere.
We now have businesses in Wright County that are requiring customers to wear a mask just to enter their doors.
Walmart even has an appointed “health ambassador,” whose job it is to remind customers of the mask requirements.
When at one time you mostly saw air fresheners or graduation tassels hanging on the rear view mirrors of cars, face masks are now becoming a new common car decoration.
I’m personally having to make sure I have one and some new replacements in the car at most times so I’m prepared if I need to go somewhere requiring a mask.
I never thought this would ever be a common site in the United States of America. But it is and this will continue likely for the next year.
Many of us will likely question what some might call “sketchy” positive results from tests as we wonder if the positive results are really just something else the person has been infected with as opposed to COVID-19.
Many of us may choose to avoid places requiring face masks in order to shop without wearing one.
Many of us may also choose to take a stand and feel as if our rights are being violated with these face mask wearing requirements that are increasing in area towns and businesses.
At the end of the day, the matter is truly out of our control. It’s a new situation that city and government officials, as well as businesses, both big and small, have never experienced.
At the end of the day, many folks are making decisions that they think will best protect the public.
Some of their decisions may be right. Some others may feel like those decisions are an overreach by businesses and the government.
Regardless, the topic of wearing face masks is not going away any time soon.
One thing I do know for sure is that many of you who have worn masks are likely experiencing the same thing I’ve been experiencing. And that is the reality of bad breath.
My wife and kids would point out things to me before and now I know they were right all along.
I bring this up because it is important that while we need to take this situation seriously, it is okay to enjoy the lighthearted moments out of this regardless of where you stand on the face mask issue.
My kids are buying face masks with advertisements for their favorite Christian bands. I’m sure sports teams are not too far behind.
I’ve even thought about drawing something on my cheap blue masks just for fun.
At the end of the day, my prayer is a reality of bad breath and the inconvenience of wearing a face mask are the only things many of us will ever have to deal with during this current battle with COVID-19.
