Trump as vulnerable as the rest of us

The irony of it all. 

Yesterday Donald Trump was to host a conference on covid-19 support for vulnerable seniors – 12 hours after he tested positive for the virus.

There are currently two presidential candidates over the age of 70, one almost 80, running for office during a pandemic that kills, by in large, the elderly. 

It doesn’t matter how tough you think you are. If you’re over 65, the chances are much higher that you will require hospitalization if you contract covid-19, and possibly even die. 

Testing the boundaries is not worth it. In this modern era, most people in their 70s are healthy, functioning individuals. Some feel like they have their whole lives ahead of them. They even have the energy to run for highest office! And like many of us wrestling with covid fatigue, they’re letting their guard down.  

Even Trump. To this, you might say, he never had his guard up. But I seriously doubt it. There’s no way this self-professed germophobe wasn’t scared of getting ill, particularly during an election campaign. While he may have put thousands of his supporters at risk at jam-packed rallies, he ensured he was far, far away from the virus-breathing commoners. Above all else, he took every precaution to protect himself. 

Except among his own people. Hope Hicks, one of his most trusted (and incidentally, most attractive) advisors, tested positive a few days earlier. He could very well have contracted the virus from her; the White House’s West Wing has been notorious for not adhering to covid-19 precautions. 

The truth is, we’re all getting a little too comfortable, particularly with the people we’re most comfortable with. We act as if they could never possibly be infected (symptoms typically appear 5-6 days after contracting the virus), because we know them. This is akin to saying our closest friends could never contract the flu, which we know all too well, they do! 

As much as the anti-maskers detest putting a piece of cloth to their face (maybe by winter they won’t be as offended by the thought), there’s reason to take precautions. It’s about protecting our most vulnerable: namely, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. Most of us would survive the virus, although there’s no guarantee we wouldn’t suffer long-term effects; for the elderly, it’s a different story. 

As much as I hate the thought of nursing homes being in lock-down for another year, we really don’t have a choice.  

My 97-year-old grandma complains of the boredom, and understandably so. It’s sad the last years of her life have to be lived this way. But on the other hand, she says she’s glad to have the support she does given the circumstances. 

Another relative, who’s 89, says she’s even enjoying the new normal. The best thing for her is having meals delivered to her door every day! 

Both of them gave up independent living in the past year, and despite the hardships of adjusting to a new life, are glad they did. Navigating life on your own during a pandemic can be stressful. You might even end up being more isolated than in a care home. 

We all feel the effects, to some degree. A co-worker of mine, a spry 35-year-old, commented on the sadness she suddenly felt when going to the store the other day. Keeping their distance, faces hidden by masks, each person was in their own protective bubble. “It’s kind of lonely,” she said. 

I can only imagine how it feels for the most vulnerable. And yes, that includes Mr. Trump.