Rural areas think they're the coronavirus exception. They're not.

[Zorro]

Under fire for her refusal to impose a statewide lockdown order, South Dakota Gov. Kristi L. Noem impatiently told reporters, “South Dakota is not New York City, and our sense of personal responsibility, our resiliency and our already sparse population density put us in a great position to manage this virus.”

It’s a common enough sentiment on the right, and often stated less politely; Sean Davis of the Federalist complained in late March that locking down the country amounted to saying “states and cities that have had no problem stopping the spread must nonetheless be shut down indefinitely because New York City is a filthy, disease-ridden dystopia run by an incompetent communist.”

This attitude engenders understandable resentment among beleaguered New Yorkers. But there is something to the rural exceptionalism story, some reason to believe that covid-19 might spread more slowly in rural areas than it does in dense cities. People who live in large, well-ventilated homes with more than one room per person, shop in airy grocery stores with mile-wide lanes, and drive to work in a private vehicle rather than crowding onto public transit with hundreds of strangers might well have fewer opportunities for exposure than your typical New Yorker does.

That said, a slow-motion disaster is still a disaster. And human beings are geniuses at inventing false reasons to feel secure.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/rural-areas-think-theyre-the-coronavirus-exception-theyre-not/2020/04/16/d488b800-8028-11ea-8013-1b6da0e4a2b7_story.html

[bmbmd]

1. I went to Tractor Supply yesterday in Graham, Texas.

My son and I were the only people there wearing masks.

[Newest Reality]

2. Of course...

There are also some factors in rural areas that will contribute to their death tolls.

The thing is, playing this like an isolated game of here and there is not going to work. Why? The virus doesn't discriminate about here or there or this or that. It is only out for one thing and that is to reproduce itself endlessly if possible.

Now, a patriotic and national view would be that, whatever areas are affected will have some other impacts, (besides being vectors) on the rest of the nation. That would be where a sense of how we are a whole, interconnected country would be prudent and necessary. In the case of the rural areas, well, it still represents the breadbasket and many food plants are situated in those areas.

Those areas could consider that rather than focus on paranoid ideas about their rights and freedoms right now. Farmers, packers, pickers, truckers, etc., are a vital part of the country, so they should actually think patriotic for their good and ours. We are even seeing now how that whole scapegoating of undocumented, migrant farm workers is turning sour and looking even worse, (they are getting no help and little care) in a time of urgent and critical need.

I can't even stand to hear anyone say they are patriotic if they are not considering the entire country and its people as in this together. No, they are separatists with tiny, malformed agendas acting selfishly with great immaturity when their country needs them to support it and cooperate.

[mr_lebowski]

4. Very well said! (nt)

[Newest Reality]

5. Thank you...

I just try to share what I pick up along the way and add some opinion to it

[Wellstone ruled]

3. Can say,saw the same

at our fav Grocery on Wednesday. Just amazed at the number of Older White People not wearing a mask as well as AA Families clustered together waiting in line for their turn to enter the Store. Do understand the Cabin Fever thingee. But,come on folks,this shit kills and we do not know who is hot or not.

[SWBTATTReg]

6. In rural areas, there are fewer stores and other retail outlets to service the population, and thus,

when they do perhaps get sick, they'll infect a greater % of the community. I remember shopping in my small 8000+ population at the Kroger store (the only store available unless you shopped at the higher priced gasoline shop), and then a Walmart finally opened up. Now the entire regional area goes shopping at Walmart.

Seems to me a much greater risk of exposure than in an urban area, where I have at least 10 groceries stores nearby, and at least two Walmart stores, plus numerous other stores (Dollar Generals, etc.) located nearby.

[Girard442]

7. So many people in rural areas are either farmers or grew up on a farm.

They surely must have some experience with contagious animal diseases. They know damn well that putting a MAGA hat on Bossy won't protect her from brucellosis. Rural lifestyle won't won't help Bossy, since that how pretty much all cows live. They know this stuff, but they let this citified con man with a badly dyed combover bamboozle them.