With most eyes on the presidential election and a growing national interest in the Georgia Senate runoffs this January, it sometimes feels that the novel coronavirus pandemic is not getting as much national media attention as it should. And given the rising case numbers across the nation, the pandemic certainly should be getting a lot of coverage. After all, we’ve now surpassed 10 million coronavirus cases in the United States, with more than 60,000 related hospitalizations. That’s, of course, in addition to the more than 200,000 people we have already lost to the virus.
With that in mind, a Republican state senator out of Nebraska, Mike Groene, has reportedly contracted the novel coronavirus. And he has some eyebrow-raising thoughts about that development. According to the Lincoln Journal Star, the state senator wrote an email to fellow lawmakers about his diagnosis, saying, “As you know, I finally got my wish and contracted the COVID-19 virus. As I suspected it would happen.” In an interview with the Journal Star, Groene said he wanted herd immunity. According to the outlet, Groene said his symptoms included some fatigue and several days of fever. He described them as “no more than a minor flu.”
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In speaking to KETV Omaha, he said, “I've been sick a lot of times. This is not different. This is not cancer. My God this hysteria.” Curious about how he thinks he got the virus? Groene told the local outlet he believes he got the virus “from someone who was wearing a mask.” He continued: “I did not wear a mask. I have not been traced that I spread to anybody.” As Groene told the outlet, he believes he got the virus while “I was at my Legislative work in Lincoln and had contact.”
Obviously, there is a lot to unpack here. First, let’s talk about the idea of herd immunity, of which Groene is apparently a supporter. Then let’s go into the structural inequalities that may lead to a privileged person having a relatively better experience with the virus.
Herd immunity in terms of the coronavirus is a scary idea. Though Donald Trump and Dr. Scott Atlas are pushing for herd immunity as a way to tackle the virus, countless health officials are horrified at the concept. One you might recognize immediately is Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci has actually spoken out about Atlas in particular, noting that he has “real problems with that guy.” Which, for the mild-mannered Fauci, is some strong language.
Experts have suggested that embracing herd immunity—as opposed to wearing face masks and social distancing—could lead to millions of deaths in the process. That’s horrible from the start, but especially so when we remember that the virus is disproportionately impacting people of color, older people, and people with chronic health conditions as it is.
As we saw with the treatment Trump received, as well as the medical attention some high-profile Republicans, like former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie got, medical care is, sadly, not always equal. While Groene may not have needed or received the level of care Trump received at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, for example, we know that systemically, white people have better access to affordable, quality medical care than people of color. We also know that people of color are less likely to be taken seriously when talking about symptoms or pain management. For a white male to be relieved to have gotten the virus over with isn’t too surprising, as white men have a fair amount of privilege and resource in this nation. And even then, we know this virus doesn’t discriminate when it comes to fatalities and long-term effects.
“I have no unique story,” Groene told the Journal Star. “This happens 99.9% of the time.” Except, of course, when people die or live with long-term effects.
"I didn't try to get contact,” Groene told KETV. “It came to me.” He added to the outlet that he feels people need to take precautions, especially if they have health conditions. He also said he “followed the rules” and plans on donating blood to help others.
That’s all well and good, but we need national guidelines on mask wearing, social distancing, and resources so people can afford to stay safe and safe home. Thankfully, President-Elect Joe Biden is heading to the White House, and he isn’t waiting until he gets there to start advocating for pandemic safety.
The Georgia runoff is Jan. 5. Request an absentee ballot by Nov. 18. Early in-person voting starts Dec. 14. And REGISTER TO VOTE here by Dec. 7.