Seniors are the major victims of Trump’s calculation that it is to his political advantage to give priority of opening the US-wide open to business instead of focusing on fighting the virus first. He may have miscalculated since polls are showing his support among seniors is declining. What may be an acceptable rate of infection for those under 65, it is different for seniors. Seniors are more vulnerable to getting infected and dying. Per the CDC  seniors account for 8 of 10 deaths caused by COVID 19. The problem with loosening rules in the general community is that others in their household can bring home COVID 19 to them.   While we are not  New York City, we can learn something from them..  66% of those COVID-19 recently hospitalized patients in NYC were observing stay at home rules, but they had others in their homes who were working or running errands outside and brought the virus home. For that reason what happens in the general community does increase the threat to Seniors. Open for business also means open for more cases of COVID 19 in the general population.  On June 1, Gov. Polis said that his science advisors fear this second wave throughout the state because fewer are observing the safer at home rules. .Grand County’s proximity to Denver in the summer recreation season will be felt. The thousands in Denver protesting police brutality chanting and side by side marching are also at risk and will contribute to the feared spike. None the less, while the stay at home rule for seniors has continued, Gov. Polis did loosen the rules to allow them to recreate outside, whatever that means.. He continued the safer at home rules for another 30 days.

The 2500 seniors who live in Grand County have been relatively safe until now.  However, they are now even more at risk as tourists and visitors return.  Until late May,  and in the preceding two months, the county had only five cases. Within a couple of weeks of time,  the number of total cases tripled since COVID 19  was confirmed in Grand County., The spike in the county occurred about two weeks after the influx of masks and social distance shunning, group gathering tourists increased in mid-May.. Political and personal bravado and thumbing noses at masks and social distancing in the face of COVID  is a danger to their own health and particularly to seniors. There were also a few locals who did not respect the safer at home state rules.  No deaths of those in the county have been reported.  

Two weeks after a large number of masks and social distance shunning visitors on Memorial Day weekend, conditions may become even more dangerous for seniors.  Experts believe the virus goes somewhat dormant in summer though experts also think it will come back in the fall.  Predictions are not a sure thing since even the experts are basing this projection on the behavior of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and there is no guarantee this new virus will act in the same way.. Some prior viruses have mutated and lost their ability to cause extreme results. Scientists do know that the COVID 19 virus does not do well in moist heat and high UV rays and loves cool and dry weather. Grand County is cooler and drier than many other places in America, but Colorado high country does have some of the higher UV levels, too., which could be offsetting factors. Seniors like me are still advised to adhere to State recommended modified stay at home rules for those over 65. I will be monitoring the local situation carefully before venturing out under “safer at home” rules. Those who will get my family’s and my business will be restaurants and retail stores that demonstrate they are safe by adhering to the rules.

 . So what if the infection death rate increases. for seniors The administration looks at it as a tradeoff; a balancing act. However, there has been an unanticipated political price to pay for it.

Trump made a devil’s bargain and seniors noticed they drew the short stick. His callous attitudes toward seniors has taken a toll. The political backlash is already being felt as Trump’s polls show seniors’ support of Trump had swung to Biden in a short time as the number of dead from COVID-19 rose to over 100,000 by the end of May, and was projected to be 134,000 by August 1.. Seniors have been the most predictable voters and Trump-supporting demographic until late April, but no longer., especially in swing states Trump needs to win. This is no minor loss for Trump. Seniors make up one-quarter of voters and the most reliable voters who turn out to vote.   In 2016, Trump carried seniors by 10 points  The trend is now reversed.   Morning Consult tracking poll April 20, “By a nearly 6-to-1 margin, people 65 years old and older say it’s more important for the government to address the spread of coronavirus than it is to focus on the economy. ” 

Even in spite of senior support tanking, Trump beat the drum for the nation to open for business, ready or not, as he tried to bury the CDC handbook on how to do it safely. (It was  finally  released  it this past week with administration pleasing revisions) The cost of increased deaths is worth reviving the economy is his implied message.  He doubled down May 21 when he made it clear that if there is a return of the virus in the fall, he will not close down the country (though he does not have the power to require states to comply).  May 22, again he ruled all houses of worship re-open, though he likewise does not have the power to force states to comply.  In both cases, he is doing nothing but harming seniors, the most frequent churchgoers, and the most vulnerable under a live and let die  “edict”.  He does not care about seniors’ health yet he hopes to get their vote. For sources of data and more visit www.mufticforumblog.blogspot. com