

The definition of Essential vs Non-Essential and a quick note to a knucklehead

March 31, 2020


Over the last 24-48hrs, it has become obvious to me that there is some question as to the definition of essential and non-essential. 

Essential means things that you have to do. These include visiting the grocery store and going to an essential job. 

Non-essential means things that you do not have to do. These include golfing, haircuts, and hanging out with friends. These are all things that people I know have either done, almost done, or are giving their parents grief because they want to do. 

This is not the time to make a joke about how golf, haircuts, and hanging out with friends are essential to life. When you need a ventilator you will not be able to say, “No please give it to 65-year old instead. I didn’t practice social distancing and so I don’t deserve it.” No, what will happen is that you will get the ventilator and the 65 yr will die. If you think this is an exaggeration look at the news and read about what is occurring in New York they are becoming overwhelmed. The stories aren't going to get easier to read until that curve changes.

Someone close to me asked me to write a note to their son (around 20 yrs old) about the importance of social distancing. How sacrificing a little now will allow us to get through this with fewer deaths from the healthcare symptoms being overwhelmed. Adrienne said I should send it out in case anyone else wants to use it or a part of it to convince their teenage knuckleheads. The parents are around fifty hence the 1.3% mortality number. 


I hope you have been getting my emails. You are certainly old enough to read them. I guess you just need to look in the mirror and figure out what kind of human you are. If you’re ok with blood on your hands, then go out and hang out with friends. But, if you want a clear conscience and you want to be 100% certain that your unnecessary actions today didn't kill someone in 1 month, then you will be unselfish and stay home. This won't last long and social distancing will start to look different soon. You can have people come to your front yard and hang out on their chairs. Just don't get within 6 ft of them. Don't have them touch anything. They shouldn't be touching the mailbox, cars, your phone or anything else. 

We will figure out very soon the socially responsible way to interact again. We just don't know yet. Also, your parent's mortality with Covid is 1.3%. Why expose them to an illness that has 1.3% mortality when the longer they can go without getting the illness the more of a chance there will be a treating medication or a vaccine? You have the internet and video conferencing and you can work from home. 

Stay the f*ck home and stop giving your parents a hard time. They didn't cause this virus and want to go out as much as you do,


If you want to hear Dr. Mason Mileur and I answer questions about Covid, we are doing another Ask Doctors Anything. We did one two weeks ago but a lot has changed so we thought we would do another one. You can register here (https://info.kainexus.com/continuous-improvement/webinar/ask-docs-anything-covid-19-again/signup?)

Stay emotionally connected and physically distant,